Dinamo stun Arsenal in Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb produced one of the most famous nights in their history when they claimed a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League at the Maksimir Stadium on Tuesday evening.

• Dinamo Zagreb 2 Arsenal 1


• Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal gives hosts the lead


• Giroud sent off for two bookings in first half


• Fernandes doubles Dinamo's advantage


• Walcott scores late consolation

Match Summary

After dominating possession, and creating a few chances, early in the match, Arsenal still went behind in the 24th minute when winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a touch unfortunate to put the ball in his own net when it rebounded back to him off keeper David Ospina, who made a good save from a Josip Pivaric shot.

The English side's task got more difficult when striker Olivier Giroud was sent off five minutes before half time for a second bookable offences.

Chilean forward Junior Fernandes doubled the home team's advantage in the 58th minute when he was left unmarked in the box from a corner and powered a header past David Ospina in the Arsenal goal.

Substitute Theo Walcott pulled a goal back for the Gunners with 11 minutes remaining but it wasn't enough as the home team celebrated a famous win at the Maksimir Stadium.

Match Report

Arsenal, as expected, had plenty of possession early in the game and created the game's first real chance in the ninth minute when striker iroud forced a good save from Zagreb goalkeeper Eduardo with a powerful header from a Santi Cazorla corner.

The English side should have gone a goal up in the 18th minute when a winger Oxlade-Chamberlain produced a good run down the right wing and crossed to Giroud, who headed against Eduardo's left-hand post and also shot the rebound wide from inside the six-yard box when it looked easier to score than miss.

The Croatian champions, who were content to sit deep and play on the counter-attack, offered no real threat going forward in the first 20 minutes but took a shock lead in the 25th.

El Arbi Soudani picked up the ball in midfield and played a defence splitting pass to the over-lapping left back Josip Pivaric, who drew save out of David Ospina but the rebound went in off the back-tracking Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Arsenal took another blow when Giroud got himself sent off five minutes before halftime for accumulating two bookings, which is inexcusable for a forward at this level. Trying to re-organise themselves, Arsenal, with 63 per cent of the ball, went into the break a goal behind.

The hosts should have doubled their lead two minutes into the second half when Soudani found himself unmarked at the back post but headed a corner against the post with Ospina well beaten.

Dinamo were almost made to pay two minutes later when Eduardo came out and smothered an attempt from Mesut Ozil after the German international was sent clear by Kieran Gibbs.

Despite Arsenal continuing to see a lot of the ball, even with a man down, forward Junior Fernandes sent the crowd at the Maksimir Stadium into raptures when he gave the hosts a two goal cushion in the 58th minute.

The Chilean was left unmarked at the near post and executed an easy header from a corner past a helpless Ospina in goal.

Although the Gunners pulled a goal back 11 minutes from full time, through a neat finish from Walcott after being put clear on goal by Alexis Sanchez, Zagreb held on for a famous win.