Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal: Score, Grades and Reaction from UCL Game

Arsenal kicked off their Champions League campaign in disappointing fashion as they were comprehensively outpointed by Borussia Dortmund who claimed a 2-0 win on Tuesday.

The Gunners produced a smash-and-grab raid to beat Dortmund at the same stage of last season’s competition, but there was no repeat on this occasion.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Dortmund were completely dominant and earned their reward courtesy of goals from Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

As expected in front of a packed crowd at the Westfalenstadion, Dortmund made a rapid start, with Per Mertesacker forced to shovel the ball away with his knee as the Germans forced a couple of corners in the opening minutes.

“It is a big game, but he looks to cope well with pressure,” was Arsene Wenger’s pregame assessment to Sky Sports of Hector Bellerin ahead of his full debut for the Gunners.

If the teenager needed a wake-up call, it arrived on two minutes as his first taste of Champions League action was to be crowded out by five swarming yellow Dortmund shirts.

The first major talking point arrived on five minutes, and it was a talking point.

Arsenal lost possession on the halfway line, and Dortmund burst forward at pace down the right. Aubameyang fed Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the box, and he stepped inside Mikel Arteta before tumbling to the floor in the box.

The Dortmund crowd was baying for a penalty, but its roars turned to jeers when referee Olegario Benquerenca penalised the Armenian for simulation.

Wojciech Szczesny had David Ospina breathing down his neck for the No. 1 jersey, but the Pole showed his class with a brilliant save to deny Aubameyang shortly before the half-hour mark.

Dortmund broke down the left, and Kevin Grosskreutz delivered a lovely cross into the path of Aubameyang. The Gabon international made decent contact, but Szczesny stood tall to smother the shot.

Moments later, Szczesny was beaten but—fortunately for Arsenal—Mkhitaryan blasted his shot from eight yards over the bar.

There has been plenty of debate over Manchester United’s decision to offload Danny Welbeck. Those in favour of the decision to sell were handed further ammunition on 41 minutes, as the forward passed up a huge chance.

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Danny Welbeck has now hit 6 of his 8 shots off target (75%) for Arsenal in his first two games for the club. pic.twitter.com/ib3GXWvzh8

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 16, 2014"

In the opening 45 minutes, Arsenal had one effort on goal. It was a chance crafted by Aaron Ramsey for Welbeck, with a clever reverse pass putting the forward in the clear. Welbeck had time to settle himself and pick his spot, but he pulled the effort well wide of the far post.

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And that's why we sold Welbeck. Awful finishing there.

— Rob B. (@_Rob_B) September 16, 2014"

Welbeck was made to pay a heavy price for his miss, as Dortmund took the lead in the final minute of the opening half.

There did not appear to be any apparent danger when the home side hoofed the ball clear. Immobile thought differently as he collected the ball in his own half before driving at pace toward the Arsenal box.

A shimmy bought him space between Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs, and he took advantage to stroke a low finish across Szczesny and into the far corner.

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Decent way for Immobile to open his Dortmund account.

— Paolo Bandini (@Paolo_Bandini) September 16, 2014"

Arsenal were dealt a body blow at the start of the second half, with Aubameyang doubling Dortmund’s advantage.

Once again it was a long ball down the middle that was the undoing of the Gunners. Aubameyang collected a ball on the halfway line, exchanged passes with Grosskreutz before rounding Szczesny and slotting home despite almost slipping over.

Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game on 56 minutes, with Gibbs feeding Welbeck at the near post—but the striker completely missed his kick.

From the Welbeck miss, Dortmund turned defence into attack in sizzling fashion. Koscielny is no slouch, but he could not keep tabs on Aubameyang who powered forward before smashing a shot from the edge of the box against the top of the crossbar.

Arsenal failed to fashion a response, and the remainder of the second half was more a case of damage limitation for Wenger's men.

Mkhitaryan missed another sitter, and Szczesny was almost embarrassed when attempting to trick his way past Aubameyang, while Welbeck's disappointing evening was capped off when he showed good feet to fashion a shooting chance—only to smash the effort over the top.

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Dortmund 2-0 Arsenal FT: Shots: 23-5 Chances created: 15-3 Crosses: 23-10 Pass Acc: 77%-77% Tackles won: 20-12 pic.twitter.com/nm3LK51LdP

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 16, 2014"

Defeat should not prove terminal for Arsenal. In two weeks' time they will welcome Galatasaray to the Emirates. That is a must-win game for the Gunners; provided they secure three points, they will have high hopes of progressing from Group D, which also contains Anderlecht.

But if they want to secure a preferable draw with a second-placed team in the last 16, they will need to topple Dortmund in the reverse fixture and not drop points elsewhere.

Grades

Wojciech Szczesny: B-

Dortmund laid siege to the Arsenal area for long spells of the contest. For the most part they were repelled, with Szczesny emerging with great credit following a string of decent saves. He could maybe have done better with Aubameyang’s goal, but he gambled and came off his line after being left totally exposed, while another moment of madness—which he does need to cut out—almost saw him gift a goal to Dortmund.

Danny Welbeck: C-

The forward was starved of service as Dortmund dominated, but he had a couple of big chances and fluffed his lines. He has to start scoring soon to keep the critics off his back.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: A

The forward has rockets in his boots and caused problems for Arsenal all evening. He squandered a couple of chances but showed great quality to score the crucial second goal shortly after half-time.

Ciro Immobile: A

The Italian has the sizable boots of Robert Lewandowski to fill. He may never scale the heights of the Poland international, but he will win many fans if he keeps scoring goals in the yellow of Dortmund.