Substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard were on the scoresheet for Arsenal as they secured a hard-fought 2–0 win in their Champions League opener at Athletic Club.
The Gunners were frustrated by their hosts for long periods and were reliant on inspiration from the bench, with Martinelli and Trossard walking away with a goal and assist each from a crucial win in Bilbao.
Arsenal were eager to quieten the boisterous San Mamés crowd from the first whistle and their territorial dominance limited opportunities for the vociferous home crowd to roar. However, their patient approach came at an attacking cost, with a tame effort from Viktor Gyökeres the only shot on target they could muster in the opening half-hour.
Noni Madueke, as he was at the weekend against Nottingham Forest, was Arsenal’s brightest spark during a tepid first half, but even the fleet-footed Englishman was unable to do serious harm to Athletic’s stubborn rearguard.
It was a similar story for Arsenal immediately after the restart, who rarely tested Unai Simón in goal. Madueke’s cross forced the Spaniard into a near-post save and Mikel Merino redirected a header into his gloves as Mikel Arteta grew increasingly frustrated on the touchline.
The Arsenal manager opted to replace Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze with Leandro Trossard and Martinelli shortly after the hour mark and the duo made an immediate impact as the Gunners broke the deadlock. Trossard flicked a teasing ball beyond the Athletic backline and Martinelli’s speed took him away from the recovering defenders, with the Brazilian showing the composure required to open the scoring.
It was then Trossard’s turn to open his European account for the season as Martinelli turned provider. The winger sprinted to the byline and cut the ball back for his Belgian teammate, who found the back of Simón’s net courtesy of a sizeable deflection.
Trossard’s 87th-minute effort proved the final nail in Athletic’s coffin and ensured three important points for Arsenal at the beginning of their Champions League journey.
Arsenal Player Ratings (4-3-3)
Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Myles Lewis-Skelly, William Saliba, Max Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri.
Player of the Match: Gabriel Martinelli
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Unai Simón; Andoni Gorosabel, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Adama Boiro; Mikel Jauregizar, Mikel Vesga; Álex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, Robert Navarro; Iñaki Williams.
Subs: Álex Padilla (GK), Mikel Santos (GK), Alejandro Rego, Iñigo Lekue, Jesús Areso, Jon de Luis, Yuri Berchiche, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Unai Gómez, Gorka Guruzeta, Maroan Sannadi, Nico Serrano.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Athletic Club: Substitutes Strike in Crucial 2–0 Victory.