Arsenal beat Kiev to reach last 16

Arsenal edged into the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday with a game to spare after an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev at the Emirates.

Substitute Nicklas Bendtner struck three minutes from time to keep Arsenal top of Group G and eliminate Kiev who ended with 10 men after midfielder Olexandr Aliyev lost his cool in the final minutes and pushed referee Alain Hamer.

Kiev, needing a win, should have taken advantage of an injury-hit Arsenal whose season has been coming off the rails in recent weeks with consecutive league defeats and the sacking of William Gallas as club captain.

Until Bendtner's 87th-minute goal, the visitors had enjoyed the best chances of a disappointing game with Ismael Bangoura denied by the woodwork in the first half and Artem Milevskiy shooting straight at Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia late on.

Victory lifted Arsenal to 11 points with one game to play at second-placed Porto on December 10 when a draw will guarantee them top spot of the group.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger recalled Gallas, who was dropped at the weekend following comments he made about the team, and the Frenchman was at the centre of the night's key moments.

After receiving a good reception from the home fans he almost became the villain after 38 minutes when he gifted the ball to Kiev dangerman Bangoura who curled a shot against the near post when a pass to a team mate would have been the better option.