UEL: Koln 1-0 Arsenal

Cuplikan Gol celebrates his goal

An Arsenal side that showed 11 changes to the team that beat Spurs on Saturday lost 1-0 to Koln in the Europa League.

The Gunners had already qualified for the last 32 of the competition and BATE Borisov's 0-0 draw with Red Star Belgrade in Thursday's other Group H game confirmed their place in top spot.

The German side are at the foot of the Bundesliga table but they made a bright start to the match and David Ospina was forced to keep out Jhon Cordoba’s cross-cum-shot as Koln enjoyed the majority of the early possession.

When the Gunners responded Francis Coquelin smashed an 18-yard effort narrowly wide in the 14th minute before Timo Horn saved Jack Wilshere’s weak close-range header.

Calum Chambers’ shot then bobbled wide and Coquelin hit the woodwork with a rasping strike on the half-hour mark as the visitors began to get on top.

Danny Welbeck then failed to hit the target before Koln suffered a blow when their captain Dominic Maroh had to be substituted in the 38th minute after sustaining what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

At the start of the second half the impressive Ainsley Mailtland-Niles was only denied a goalscoring opportunity by a last-ditch challenge before lively Gunners substitute Alex Iwobi saw his shot blocked.

Koln scored the crucial goal in the 62nd minute against the run of play though when Sehrou Guirassy netted from the penalty spot after being brought down by Mathieu Debuchy.

When the Gunners responded Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud and Wilshere went close to grabbing an equaliser but Koln hung on to secure their second victory in the group and keep their own hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive.