Arsenal in CL group stage for 17th successive season post Besiktas win

Alexis Sanchez scored his first goal for Arsenal since his 35 million pounds move from Barcelona to help his side claim victory over Besiktas and a place in the Champions League group stage for the 17th successive season.

The Chilean struck the only goal of the match that edged out Besiktas but Arsenal had to survive nervous moments, including playing the last 14 minutes with 10 men after Mathieu Debuchy was sent off, before winning this qualifier.

And for manager Arsene Wenger, Sanchez's strike ensured a rich reward on his expensive summer investment as Arsenal once again go into Thursday's draw for the group phase, The BBC reported.

Besiktas were furious when Jack Wilshere's first-half tackle on Ramon Motta in the area went unpunished while Arsenal missed chances of their own to ease the anxiety sweeping around the stadium in the closing stages.

With Aaron Ramsey suspended, Wilshere was at the heart of Arsenal's best work with an energetic display that put recent poor form behind him, while Sanchez demonstrated the work-rate and quality up front that has Wenger believing he will be central to their season.

Arsenal also displayed defensive resilience with reduced numbers in the dying moments as Turkish side Besiktas cast caution aside in the search for the goal that would have put them into the lucrative next stage of the Champions League, the report added.