Football story by Georgina Scane, Wed, 09 Aug 2006 11:32:00 GMT


Arsenal almost made sure of a place in the preliminary stages of Champions League this season as they trounced Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 in Croatia on Tuesday night. A Cesc Fabregas brace and a Robin van Persie goal were enough to see the Gunners home.

But the main talking point at the game was the future of Ashley Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes. Cole has been linked with a move to rivals Chelsea, while Reyes has aroused the interest of Real Madrid. But the uncertainty was all swept under the carpet as the young Gunners showcased their awesome talent. "When you take the average age of our team last night, you can only say it is amazing how these guys master not only the tactics but also the stressful side of these games," Arsene Wenger said after the match. "There was a lot at stake and we dealt well with the problems we faced."

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New signing Tomas Rosicky was feeling his way, but his talent was there for all to see. "I feel Tomas was ready physically to play, and that Reyes, with all the noises made about his transfer with Real Madrid, has been unsettled." Wenger admitted.

Fabregas opened the scoring in the 63rd minute after a dull first half. Van Persie followed it up with a neat strike a minute later and Fabregas completed his job in the 79th minute. The Gunners' who finished second best to Barcelona last year will play the second leg in their new stadium in two weeks time.

"We are not satisfied with final result, but Arsenal are a better team of more quality and strength," rued Dinamo coach Josip Kuze. "When they went into the lead, they took charge."