Dynamo Kiev	vs	ARSENAL
3	-	1
Attendance : 65,000

By David Alexander "Lucky Arsenal" we may have been called in the past, but there was no joy for the severely under-strength Gunners in Kiev. Our first Champions League defeat came courtesy of a penalty from Rebrov, a Holovko header and an incredible free kick from Shevchenko as our patched up side failed to withstand the might of the Ukraine. The result now leaves us bottom of the group, having started the night in first place, and with it all to do in the next two games. The big shock was the absence of Nicolas Anelka and with Tony Adams, Marc Overmars, Dennis Bergkamp and later Steve Bould all missing the game, we were up against it from the start. Luis Boa Morte, who played on the left wing against Derby last week, played up front with Christopher Wreh and Nelson Vivas replaced marc Overmars, with Ray Parlour switching to the left. David Seaman remained upbeat despite the result. He said: "They are a good side but we had a lot of chances and their goalie made some great saves. "It has not gone for us on the night, but we have got a good squad and 3-1 was an unfair result. The lad looked for the penalty but the referee gave it so that's that. "We've got two games to go now and which we hope to take six points from and qualify." Amidst deafening noise and a heavily cut-up pitch, we started the game looking to exert our authority, the knowledge that Kiev had won only two of their last eight home games in the mind, creating the majority of opportunities. The first real chance was a low free kick by Vivas which fell to Boa Morte and he was only a yard wide of the target. We were dominating the early stages. Lee Dixon got over another fine cross which Wreh picked up and shot against a defender with Kiev stretched. But the game drifted away from Arsenal twenty minutes into the game when Keown fouled Rebrov as the Wembley scorer raced into the area. The referee had no hesitation in awarded the penalty kick. Seaman dived the right way, seemed to get hold of the ball but saw it trickle over the line before he could make a recovery save. Two minutes later Shevchenko went through and fell as he made his was towards the box and we could breathe a sign of relief that a second penalty was not awarded. We continued to push forward, but were often exposed down the right, where Vivas' forward runs caught us short. Ten minutes from the interval, Seaman kept us in the game with a clearance while prone as Shevchenko took advantage of the static defence. It was a magnificent piece of goalkeeping from England's number one. We should have equalised in the 41st minute after Wreh's easy header went wide of the post following Petit's fine cross but it was the Ukrainians who seemed to be growing in confidence. When Bould went off, the eye injury not healing and a thigh pulled seconds before the break, the game became an almighty uphill battle. A goalmouth melee almost ended with Wreh, then Boa Morte scrambled the ball towards the Kiev net, but somehow it was blocked and Boa Morte was booked for protesting when a penalty was not given his way. Chances continued to come our way. Petit swung over a free kick to the back post and Vieira's shot was saved by the keeper and cleared. It started to become frustrating, the chances appearing and not being finished off and our play began to deteriorate. An hour into the game and Luzhny's free kick was headed in by Holovko, predictable considering the balance of play. But Holovko almost scored an sensational own goal moments later and the Gunners started to fight back. You could almost sense that Shevchenko was going to try his luck 18 minutes from time and indeed his bullet shot was far too good for Seaman. It was a top quality strike and nothing less than you would have expected from a player of his undoubtable quality. Hughes, a replacement for the lacklustre Boa Morte, pulled one back from Petit's corner as we refused to stop battling for the ball. Wreh then had the ball in the net and incredibly it was ruled out for offside. But how important Hughes' goal may prove to be when the final standings are being calculated later this month.

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