Super- subs to the rescue as Arsenal claim visual victory over Athletic Bilbao

Arsenal kicked off their Champions League campaign away at Athletic Bilbao, with Mikel Arteta’s side running out 2-0 victors at San Mames.

The Gunners opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s second-half strikes proved to be the difference.

In a game with few clear chances, second-half substitutes Martinelli and Trossard came up with the goods late on, earning the Gunners a hard-fought three points on the road. 

While Bilbao started the more brightly at San Mames, it was Arsenal who were presented with the best opportunity of the first half when Viktor Gyokeres met Jurrien Timber’s precise cross with a diving header in the 30th minute, but the ball sailed just wide.

That was one of just four Arsenal shots in the first half, their lowest total in the opening 45 minutes of a game since last December (three v Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup).

But when Mikel Arteta turned to his bench to make an impact, the substitutes duly obliged.

Martinelli opened the scoring after an intricate flick from Trossard set him free from the halfway line, with the Brazilian slotting past Unai Simon in the 72nd minute, just 36 seconds after coming on.

In the 87th minute, Martinelli repaid the favour, assisting Trossard by cutting the ball back from the byline, with the Belgian’s subsequent strike taking a fortuitous deflection over a helpless Simon.

Arsenal became the first team in European Cup/Champions League history to beat Spanish sides in six consecutive matches, having won all five in the last two seasons (two each vs Real Madrid and Sevilla, one vs Girona).

The Gunners have won five consecutive group stage/league phase matches in the Champions League for the first time since a run of six between December 2004 and November 2005.