Arsenal kicked off their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in Bilbao on Tuesday night.
The Gunners found it difficult to create clear-cut chances for much of the game, with summer signings Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze unable to break down the hosts’ defence.
But manager Mikel Arteta’s substitutions proved decisive. Just 36 seconds after coming on, Gabriel Martinelli latched onto a perfectly weighted ball over the top from Leandro Trossard to open the scoring in the 72nd minute.
Moments later, Martinelli turned provider, setting up Trossard to double Arsenal’s lead and secure all three points.
The win means Arsenal are up and running in Group play with three points already on the board. Arteta’s men have now conceded only one goal all season and will next host Manchester City in the Premier League.
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