{"id":106374,"date":"2023-10-03T22:41:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T22:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/03\/champions-league-wahi-grabs-winner-as-lens-upset-arsenal\/"},"modified":"2023-10-03T22:41:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T22:41:09","slug":"champions-league-wahi-grabs-winner-as-lens-upset-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/03\/champions-league-wahi-grabs-winner-as-lens-upset-arsenal\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions League: Wahi grabs winner as Lens upset Arsenal"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Elye Wahi starred as French side Lens came from behind to shock Arsenal in the Champions League.<\/p>\n

Wahi\u2019s first-time finish into the bottom left corner from a Przemyslaw Frankowski cross in the 69th minute saw the home side seal a notable success.<\/p>\n

The below-par Gunners rode some early pressure from Lens before Gabriel Jesus claimed a 14th-minute opener from a through-ball from Bukayo Saka, who then went off with a heel injury.<\/p>\n

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Lens levelled 11 minutes later as Adrien Thomasson curled a superb finish into the far corner.<\/p>\n

As Arsenal suffered their first loss of the season on a difficult night, they suffered another blow before Sunday\u2019s crunch Premier League meeting with Manchester City as England forward Saka went off after just 33 minutes.<\/p>\n

But Lens were worthy of a win that took them to the top of Group B on four points, with Mikel Arteta\u2019s side second on three.<\/p>\n

The hosts threatened from the start with Kevin Danso shooting just wide and Thomasson\u2019s header going close before the offside flag was raised.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 finish into the bottom left corner did not dampen the spirits of the home crowd who were experiencing their first Champions League game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis since 2002. The Brazilian striker has now been involved in 16 goals in his last 16 Champions League starts, scoring 13 and assisting three.<\/p>\n

But Lens hit back following a poor clearance from Arsenal keeper David Raya out to the left. Wahi, a summer signing from Montpellier, provided the assist, expertly controlling a long ball before laying off the pass for Thomasson to finish.<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old then had the final say when he swept home the winner. In doing so, he became the youngest Frenchman to score and assist in a Champions League match since 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe did so for Paris St-Germain in December 2018.<\/p>\n

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