Arsenal have breathed new life into their once faltering Champions League campaign by defeating Bayern Munich 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night in a performance full of spirit and desire.
Late goals from Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil saw the Gunners record their first win of competition after being on the back foot for large portions of the match. Bayern dominated possession throughout but the home side dug in and showed an abundance of character and resilience to keep the Bavarians at bay.
After being inexplicably left out of the first two games, Petr Cech proved to be the difference making a string of fine saves, highlighted by his superb reflex stop when the red-hot Robert Lewandowski was put clean through on goal and looked destined to continue his goalscoring form.
Manuel Neuer was also in sparkling form making a stunning save in the first half to deny Theo Walcott, but would later be at fault for Arsenal’s opening goal when he made a complete hash of a Santi Cazorla free kick which was bundled home by Giroud after it fortuitously hit the Frenchman’s face and trickled into the net.
The game was put to bed late in stoppage time when Ozil’s shot had correctly been adjudged to have crossed the line after his German compatriot Neuer had managed to paw away the effort from close-range. The goal was set up by the full-back Hector Bellerin who intercepted an errant Bayern pass before finding the playmaker who put the seal on what was a memorable European night for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Click NEXT to view major talking points
