Rampant Arsenal Ease Past Porto

Arsenal 4
Porto 0
(Champions League - Group G)

ARSENAL returned to winning ways with a mauling of sorry Porto at the Emirates Stadium this evening.

The Gunners - shocked to be beaten by Hull City on Saturday - took half hour to get into their stride but then turned on the style as they eased past their Portuguese opponents.

Robin Van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor did the damage with a goal each in either half.

It could have been a different story had Porto not wasted a couple of gilt-edged opportunities in the opening 20 minutes.

Cristian Rodriguez's diving header from 12 yards out, after a swift Porto breakaway, flicked up off the crossbar.

Then Lisandro Lopez, unmarked and just six yards from goal following a corner, slashed at his shot and Gael Clichy was in hand to clear of the goalline.

Van Persie eased the tension inside the Emirates with the opener on the half-hour mark.

Cesc Fabregas, marvellous throughout, started the move with a slide-rule pass to Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo international taking his time before picking out Van Persie - he slid in to turn home his first Champions League goal in over a year.

Adebayor doubled the advantage on 39 minutes, getting highest to Van Persie's corner and sending his header bouncing off the ground and in-off the bar.

Van Persie effectively wrapped the game up moments after the break. The Dutchman ghosted past Bruno Alves in the Porto penalty area before prodding home into the far corner.

Home and dry, Arsenal began to turn on the flowing football.

Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri both missed simple chances before Adebayor notched the fourth with a 78th minute penalty after Nicklas Bendtner had been hauled down by Freddy Guarin.

Adebayor dragged his hat-trick effort just wide of the target close to the end, but the damage was done.

Elsewhere in Group G, Fenerbahce and Dynamo Kiev played out a goalless draw in Turkey.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Clichy, Toure, Gallas, Walcott (Vela 73), Denilson, Fabregas, Nasri (Eboue 68), Van Persie (Bendtner 68), Adebayor.

[Guardian-Series]