London: Netherlands internationals Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay scored late goals as Schalke outclassed Arsenal to win 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, lifting the team above the English side to the top of Group B. The German visitors had wasted a string of good openings by the time Huntelaar put them in front with a low drive in the 76th minute, his ninth goal of the season for club and country.
Afellay clinched victory for Schalke in the 86th, slotting home from close range after Jefferson Farfan had evaded Arsenal's defense again down the right flank. The loss ended Arsenal's perfect start to the competition and leaves manager Arsene Wenger with some worrying problems with his team being outclassed in every department. Schalke is on seven points " one ahead of Arsenal, which is still favored to progress to the knockout stage despite this setback.
Fresh from winning at German champion Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday, 2011 semifinalist Schalke took the game to Arsenal in front of its raucous, scarf-waving support. First to almost every ball and more sprightly in possession, the only surprise was that it took so long for the visitors to open the scoring. Huub Stevens' side would have been ahead at the break had Huntelaar not wasted the only clear-cut chance of the half.
Atsuto Uchida was set free down the right and his inviting cross should have been put away by the striker, who instead turned the
01:21 AM, Oct 25, 2012
