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LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal fans had waited nine long months to return to the North London stadium, but the 2,000 people scattered in the red seats had to wait just nine minutes to enjoy the thrill of celebrating a goal in person again. Thursday.
Appropriately, it was France’s Alexandre Lacazette who scored the first goal in the 4-1 win over Rapid Vienna, the same player who 272 days earlier had scored the winning goal against West Ham United, days before the COVID pandemic. -19 was extended.
Lacazette described it as “amazing” while his teammate Ainsley Maitland-Niles said: “We’ve waited a long time. It’s great to get that sound back and have our 12th man back.”
While English football rebooted in June after a three-month hiatus, the country’s gleaming Premier League stadiums have been eerily quiet and sad places on match days with fans watching from afar on television.
With the capital placed in the government’s Level Two restrictions following the end of the national shutdown, Arsenal were the first high-level club to have the opportunity to open the turnstiles to a limited number of fans.
Normally a Europa League group match against such modest opposition, with Christmas looming, could have been an excuse for a night on the couch or at the local mall.
But it felt like a momentous occasion for the lucky few who had tickets on a cold and wet night in North London.
“I’ve been coming since the Emirates opened (in 2006). It means absolutely everything,” 25-year-old supporter Josef told Reuters before kick-off.
“I got quite excited walking around here, just the kind of thrill of seeing people come back in scarves, hats, uniforms. It means the world is here.
Another fan, Stevan Rowan, added: “Since last year there has been nothing to do. Going to the games makes everything much better than it was.”
ORDERED LINES
Once inside and socially distanced in neat lines, most with face covers, it felt like business as usual.
The beloved Gunnersaurus mascot, threatened with extinction a few months ago due to cost savings, lumbered down the touchline, and it didn’t take long for fans to get their lungs working with a rendition of “We Hate Tottenham.”
The Arsenal players applauded the fans before kick-off and when Lacazette scored his team’s first goal, the whole team joined him on the touchline to milk the applause.
It was music to his ears.
Other goals from Pablo Mari and Eddie Nketiah pushed the decibel levels back up. Koya Kitagawa withdrew one for Vienna right after the break, but there were no recriminations.
Instead, fans were back on their feet when Emile Smith Rowe completed a comfortable Arsenal win that held his 100% record in competition this season.
Hardly anyone left early and when the final whistle sounded the players showed their appreciation by returning a semblance of normalcy to their workplace.
“Delighted that the fans are making a big difference again,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, whose team has lost three consecutive Premier League games at home.
“We had 2,000, but they were loud and supported the team.”
Arsenal will go to North London rivals Tottenham on the weekend when fans will return to some Premier League stadiums.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, edited by Ed Osmond)
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