France striker punished a costly blunder from Bayern Munich goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer to inspire a crucial 2-0 win on Tuesday.
PHOTO: Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring his
team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League football match
between Arsenal and Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in London,
on October 20, 2015. Arsenal won the match 2-0. AFP PHOTO
Giroud came off the bench to open the scoring after Neuer made a hash
of dealing with a free-kick with 13 minutes left at the Emirates
Stadium and Mesut Ozil added the killer second with virtually the last
kick.
Despite being on the back foot for long periods, Arsene Wenger's side
gratefully accepted Neuer's gift after consecutive Group F defeats had
left them on the verge of elimination.
The Gunners still have little margin for error with a trip to Munich
next up, but their determined display has given them much-needed hope
of making the knockout stages for a 16th successive year.
It was an especially ironic twist after a howler from Arsenal
goalkeeper David Ospina had played a major role in their loss against
Olympiakos in their previous European fixture.
Wenger had made the surprisingly candid revelation that his players
underestimated Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos in the two defeats that
had put them in such a perilous position, but there was never any
chance they would repeat that mistake against the Bundesliga leaders.
Alexis Sanchez led Arsenal's first incisive raid as the Chilean surged
forward before picking out Ozil for a low shot that Neuer turned away.
Bayern's victory at Werder Bremen on Saturday made them the first team
ever to win their opening nine league games.
And the sublime attacking play behind that record-breaking run was on
display when Thomas Muller slipped a perfectly weighted pass through
to Thiago Alcantara, whose drive was parried away by Petr Cech.
Bayern boss Pep Guardiola had claimed he expected Arsenal to fight
like animals, but Wenger's men were caged by the Germans' metronomic
passing game for long periods and Sanchez was fortunate to get away
with a handball as he blocked a shot.
– Intricate patterns –
With the Germans weaving intricate patterns around midfield, Arsenal's
concentration wavered when Jerome Boateng was given time and space for
a long pass to Douglas Costa.
Costa's quick feint took him past Hector Bellerin with ease and Bayern
winger's powerful shot from a tight angle forced Cech to make a good
save at his near post.
Bayern's intelligent movement again reduced Arsenal to helpless
bystanders when Arturo Vidal finished another flowing move by testing
Cech with a dipping strike.
Aware that chances would be at a premium against such elite
opposition, Arsenal countered by attacking with pace on the break, but
when their chances came Theo Walcott scuffed wide from a good position
and Sanchez blazed high into the stands.
Walcott had no reason to reproach himself late in the first half when
his seemingly goal-bound close-range header from Nacho Monreal's cross
was brilliantly clawed away by Neuer.
It was an outrageously good save and Arsenal's frustration only grew
as Aaron Ramsey dragged the rebound across goal.
Costa was a constant menace and the Brazilian lashed just over from
long-range soon after the interval.
Robert Lewandowski had scored 15 goals in his last seven appearances
for club and country and Bayern's Polish forward nearly added to that
tally with a stinging drive that Cech pushed over.
Bayern kept pressing and Lewandowski's shot was repelled by a Laurent
Koscielny block, while Muller's angled strike flashed just wide.
But after his earlier heroics, Neuer finished the villain as he gifted
Arsenal the lead in the 77th minute.
Santi Cazorla floated a high free-kick into the Bayern area and as
Neuer came to collect behind Koscielny he allowed the ball to slip
past him to Giroud, who headed against his hand and into the empty
net.
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