The UEFA Champions’ League group stage this season kicked off on Tuesday with Arsenal and Union SG winning their earlier games.
Arsenal left it late against a stubborn Athletic Club Bilbao as they ran 2-0 winners in San Mames Stadium in a game that saw both teams have equal chances in the first half.
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For a while it looked like the Gunners were going to start with a goalless draw until substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to score the important goals.
Martinelli has had a difficult time in recent months, with a drop in form – and had started the last two games on the bench with new signing Eberechi Eze starting on the left wing – but will hope that the goal and assist will give him the lift he needs.
In another match earlier in the day, Union Saint-Gilloise enjoyed a dream Champions League debut with a historic 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.
The Belgian side won their first Pro League title in 90 years last term to qualify for the competition for the first time in their history. They extended that streak to the Tuesday game where they took a ninth-minute lead from the penalty spot after Ricardo Pepi caught former Portsmouth defender Christian Burgess in the box with a high challenge.
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Promise David stepped up to become the club’s first Champions League goalscorer as he calmly slotted past PSV keeper Matej Kovar. Union doubled their lead in the 39th minute to silence the home fans at Philips Stadion thanks to a terrific solo goal from Anouar Ait El Hadj. And Kevin Mac Allister – brother of Liverpool midfielder Alexis – wrapped up the perfect evening for Union when he bundled home from a corner with nine minutes left.
Ruben van Bommel, who hit the crossbar for the hosts earlier, poked home a 90th-minute consolation, but it was another disappointing home result for PSV, who were thrashed 7-1 by Arsenal in the last 16 last season.
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