Arsenal defied all the odds by overcoming Pep Guardiola’s seemingly invincible Bayern Munich side 2-0, giving them increased hope of qualifying for the last 16 of the competition.
Goals came from substitute Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil in a breath-taking game, in which Petr Cech reminded everyone why he is the undisputed number one at the Emirates with several crucial saves. The defeat for Bayern is their first in a competitive fixture this season and brings an end to a 12 game winning streak.
Entertaining first-half ends scoreless
Bayern dominated the early stages of possession but it was Arsenal who had the first chance of the game on seven minutes. A fantastic burst forward by Alexis Sanchez saw the Chilean lay it off to Ozil, whose low driven shot was well saved by a stretching Manuel Neuer.
Arsenal tried to keep a disciplined shape but Bayern almost forced their way through in the 10th minute with Cech forced into making a sensational save to deny Thiago Alcantara after great link up play with Thomas Muller.
The game began to settle down after the two big early chances, although Douglas Costa looked a constant threat for the visitors on the left hand side up against Hector Bellerin with Xabi Alonso dictating the tempo in the middle of the park.
Bayern threatened again in the 28th minute when Arturo Vidal’s long range effort was palmed away again by Cech and the resulting cross from Costa was hit harmlessly wide by Robert Lewandowski.
Arsenal had another opening just minutes later when a corner from Santi Cazorla fell to the feet of an unmarked Sanchez but the in-form forward blazed his shot over the bar.
Another chance fell Arsenal’s way in the 33rd minute when Nacho Monreal delivered a pin point cross onto the head of Theo Walcott, which produced one of the best saves in recent memory as Neuer somehow pushed the goal-bound header away with one hand.
Walcott was a constant threat with his pace on the shoulder of the Bayern defenders as Arsenal began to grow into the game with Sanchez also looking lively out on the left hand side.
The teams went in level at the break with Costa having the last of the chances in the 43rd minute when he picked up a loose ball from Sanchez but fired his shot straight at Cech.
Two late goals secure victory
The teams came out unchanged for the second period and the game quickly settled into a similar pattern with Bayern keeping control of the ball while Arsenal maintained their defensive shape in their own half. Costa was once again in the thick of things, terrorising the Gunners' defence and fired a shot just over the bar in the 51st minute as the pressure continued to mount for Arsenal.
Cech was yet again called upon in the 55th minute when he tipped Lewandowski’s long range effort over the bar after yet more good work from the sensational Costa as Arsenal struggled to have any impact on proceedings.
Francis Coquelin had Arsenal’s first chance on the half in the 59th minute when Ozil found the midfield enforcer on the edge of the area and his 25-yard shot was just wide of Neuer’s goal.
The game, much like the first-half, settled down half way through the second period with both teams having spells of possession without creating many clear cut chances as the game remained 0-0.
Costa was in the thick of things once again in the 75th minute, launching a superb counter attack but Lewandowski was unable to convert his pass after great work from Laurent Koscielny in his own area to put off the prolific Polish striker.
Yet it was Arsenal who made the breakthrough just minutes later. A perfectly floated free-kick from Cazorla was missed by Neuer, allowing it to hit substitute Olivier Giroud who scored with virtually his first touch since coming on.
Giroud had another huge chance moments later in the 84th minute when he was left open in the box from a corner but the big striker’s header was straight at Neuer.
Bayern continued to dominate possession as they had the whole game in search of an equaliser but it was only in the second minute of injury time that they threatened, when Lewandowski bared down on goal after a clever turn but was brilliantly marshalled by the Koscielny.
A minute later though Arsenal had the game sealed after Bellerin intercepted the ball in midfield and his cross found an unmarked Ozil, whose shot crossed the line despite the best efforts of Neuer.
The result gives Arsenal their first three points this season in the Champions League and gives them a slight chance of qualifying for the next round although they will most likely need a positive result in their next game against Bayern at the Allianz Arena. Elsewhere in the group Olympiacos overcame Dinamo Zagreb to put more pressure on Arsenal.