Replacement Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil scored goals to give Arsenal a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich and kick-start their Champions League football campaign.
Arsenal players celebrate Olivier Giroud's goal. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Giroud replaced Theo Walcott after 75 minutes and headed in a Santi Cazorla header from close range in the 77th minute of the Group F match in London after the otherwise superb Manuel Neuer flapped at the ball to put Arsenal on their way to their first win after losing their opening two games.
Ozil scored with virtually the final kick when his shot just crossed the line before being scooped out of the goal by his World Cup-winning team mate Neuer.
That outcome never looked likely, though, against the German champions who forced Arsenal back for long periods of the first half and totally controlled possession for most of the second half until Giroud scored.
The result ended Bayern's run of 12 successive wins in all competitions and kept Arsenal in the fight in the group. Bayern and Olympiakos Piraeus have six points apiece, Dinamo Zagreb and Arsenal three each.
"They dominated the game, we knew they would do that but finally we managed to score and then finished with Mezut's goal," Giroud said after the match.
"We played against a fantastic team. (The win) is nice for the future."
Meanwhile Chelsea struck the woodwork twice but could not find a breakthrough in an entertaining 0-0 draw at Dynamo Kiev that left everything to play for in Group G.
Within the context of Chelsea's poor start to the season, a goalless draw in the Ukraine can be considered a positive result and Jose Mourinho's side certainly did enough to earn all three points.
Eden Hazard, restored to the starting lineup, struck the post early on while Willian crashed a free kick against the underside of the bar after the restart as the visitors crafted by far the better openings.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard applauds the fans. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Kiev, who tested Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic on occasions in the second half, have five points in Group G, one ahead of Mourinho's side and two behind leaders Porto who beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0.
Cesc Fabregas, another whose form in the early part of the campaign has fallen short of last season's standards, should have won his side a penalty when he was tripped by Serhiy Rybalka but referee Damir Skomina waved play on, much to Mourinho's disgust.
Chelsea retreated in the closing stages, happy to soak up Kiev's attacks and settle for a draw before the two sides face each other again in London on November 4th.
Defending champions Barcelona also won this morning, beating BATE Borisov 2-0.
Two goals from Ivan Rakitic gave Barcelona the comfortable away victory in Belarus, and consolidated their position at the top of Champions League Group E.
- Reuters