SOCCER / Arsenal 2 Lokomotiv Moscow 0: Arsenal never intended finishing top of Group B by leaping there from fourth place, but an indulgent crowd will take that as proof of the vaulting talent in a team that now strides into the knockout phase of the Champions League.
The feat had looked beyond them when they started their schedule with a single point from three matches.
Arsenal's domination here made that weakness all the more puzzling. They did enjoy the benefit of facing visitors playing with 10 men for the whole of the second half, but their superiority was already palpable by then.
Lokomotiv, nonetheless, had the surprising joy of learning that they too had emerged from the group because of Dynamo Kiev's draw with Internazionale.
But Lokomotiv were allowed little opportunity to muster the composure that had led to a 1-1 draw against Inter in Milan, and their left-back Jakob Lekcetho was so flustered that he was sent off just before half-time.
Arsenal had also ensured that the visitors would be compelled to absorb an early blow to their confidence.
The opener after 12 minutes would have been an eloquent piece of advocacy for Thierry Henry to be named FIFA's world player of the year on Monday, except that the votes had already been cast.
A momentary misjudgment by Lekcetho on Lokomotiv's left was enough for him to seize possession, dodge Oleg Pashinin and roll a shrewd ball towards Robert Pires. The midfielder gathered it on the run, letting his momentum take him inside Sergey Ignashevich before he got sufficient power on his shot to force a drive past the goalkeeper Sergey Ovchinnikov at the near post.
That breakthrough for Arsene Wenger's side seemed to stun Lokomotiv, and before the interval there was a numbness about them that was typified by the sight of a normally adept Dmitry Loskov putting a cross out of play when standing in a perfect spot to deliver it.
That kind of blunder was heartening for the Highbury crowd, but those spectators were also restless over their side's inability to capitalise on measured, confident play.
With half an hour gone, Dennis Bergkamp glanced a Freddie Ljungberg pass to Henry. He executed his favourite manoeuvre from the left by stepping across Dmitry Sennikov but then narrowly failed to find the far corner of the net with his angled strike.
Almost immediately after, Ljungberg fired high after Ovchinnikov had palmed out a Kolo Toure cross and, in the 38th minute, the goalkeeper needed to move smartly to parry an Henry free-kick.
Arsenal's position, though, was strengthened by the actions of the headstrong Lekcetho. The South African had collected a yellow card with just eight minutes gone for a foul on Ljungberg, and his reckless lunge at the Swede as the interval neared was inexplicable.
Arsenal are known for elegance more than ruthlessness, but Toure was at least committed to taking advantage of outnumbered opponents. The full back's pounding strike had Ovchinniokov making a frantic reaction to put the ball over the bar, and shortly afterwards the Ivory Coast defender was clumsily high with another attempt.
With the score at mere 1-0, however, there was still jeopardy for Arsenal and Ashley Cole let himself be dispossessed by the substitute Winston Parks, but the Costa Rican could do more from an angle than shoot at the feet of the goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
All the same, this was a night destined to be treasured by Arsenal and the second goal that made sure of their place in the last 16 displayed their imagination and fine technique to the full.
The fit-again captain Patrick Vieira retrieved possession in his half to launch a counter-attack, and Bergkamp then played the ball hard on to the chest of Henry. The Frenchman lobbed a pass over his shoulder to send Ljungberg through to dab the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
The Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sat watching in the stands. He had come to see his fellow countrymen, but he will have admired Arsenal's artistry.
He can probably accept as well that, on this one night, not everything in London was happening exactly according to his wishes.
ARSENAL: Lehmann, Toure, Cygan, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Silva, Pires, Henry, Bergkamp (Kanu 74). Subs Not Used: Stack, Keown, Wiltord, Parlour, Edu, Aliadiere. Booked: Vieira. Goals: Pires 12, Ljungberg 67.
LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW: Sergei I Ovchinnikov, Pashinin, Sennikov, Ignashevich, Evseev, Lekcetho, Khokhlov, Maminov, Loskov, Buznikin (Gurenko 45), Ashvetia (Parks 45). Subs Not Used: Nigmatullin, Nizhegorodov, Asatiani, Leandro, Wagner. Sent Off: Leksetho (45). Booked: Leksetho, Evseev.
Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).
