Arsenal became the first English team to win away at Borussia Dortmund in European competition with a 1-0 smash-and-grab victory on Wednesday night.
The Gunners did not have a shot in a first half that Dortmund should have taken the lead in when Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed a really good chance from just inside the box.
As the pressure built on Arsenal's goal Aaron Ramsey netted once again and his side were able to hold on for what could be a priceless win.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello everyone and thanks for joining me tonight for what is the tie of the evening as Borussia Dortmund take on Arsenal at Signal Iduna Park.
Dortmund managed a smash-and-grab win at the Emirates in what was a really good display of how to play against Arsenal. They harried and pressed really high up and, although perhaps fortunate to claim the win, will likely play exactly the same way tonight.
The Group of Death is turning out to be exactly that. These two sides as well as Napoli are all on six points from three games. It's turning into a game of whoever slips up against Marseille, who are rock bottom. The Italian side host the French side in the other game in the group, so by the end of tonight will we be any closer to knowing which teams qualify?
It is a huge task for Arsenal tonight, and they do not have history on their side. Dortmund have never lost at home to English opposition in Europe, they have won all eight games at Signal Iduna Park this term and won all six at home in the Champions League last year. Fortress doesn't even cut it.
Dortmund have also had their best start ever to a Bundesliga season, with 28 points from a possible 33 so far. They saw Bayern Munich qualify last night and will want to take a big step for themselves tonight.
Arsenal, of course, have been fantastic themselves to start this season. The talk is continually whether they can keep it up but I think the question should be can anyone stop them? With 25 points from 30 in the league and 22 goals scored they are certainly a match for anyone right now.
The team news is in, so let me just bring the lineups over to you. Spoiler: there are some brilliant players here tonight! Alright, no spoiler then.
DORTMUND XI: Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Subotic, Papastathopoulos, Schmelzer; Bender, Sahin; Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Lewandowski
ARSENAL XI: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Arteta; Rosicky, Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud
So two very strong lineups indeed. An interesting one will be Tomas Rosicky against his old club who he was so good for, and Marco Reus - who admitted that Rosicky was his idol growing up. The Gunners are unchanged from the team that beat Liverpool at the weekend.
The bad news for Dortmund is that Mats Hummels was not deemed fit to play tonight, which sees Sokratis Papastathopoulos alongside Neven Subotic in the heart of defence. They are so solid everywhere you look, as Jakub Blaszczykowski continues to keep out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the right wing.
There is so much attacking talent on display that surely there will be goals tonight. Last time out there was controversy as Robert Lewandowski was only booked for an elbow on Laurent Koscielny before going on to score the winner. Hopefully we will have just pure attacking football here.
I would assume that Arsene Wenger will come here tonight to attack - he hardly know another way, to be fair. Jurgen Klopp certainly won't be sitting back in front of the Yellow Wall! I sense goals.
PREDICTION: This one is hard. Everything is telling me that tonight will be a draw, but I actually fancy the Gunners to pip it 2-1 as Dortmund did two weeks ago.
That said, Dortmund are the heavy, heavy favourites tonight. You won't find much better than 3/4 for them while the Gunners are 4/1. My prediction, if you have the nerve, is around 14/1.
The draw at around 3/1 is a very good potential earner as well I would say. So for everything I've said, it will be 3-0 Dortmund then?
So there are just five minutes to go and I for one cannot wait for this to get underway. A reminder that the other game in the group is Napoli vs. Marseille. If you want to follow that then you can do so right here.
Handshakes being done, we're almost underway here. It's a raucous atmosphere, but what else do you expect from Signal Idune Park?
KICKOFF: Here we go then, the men in yellow kick us off.
Good start from the hosts. They have started their pressing game and then quickly turn defence into attack, but Mertesacker is across well to stop Lewandowski getting a shot away.
Arsenal having to do a lot of defending early on, but they have not allowed a real chance yet. Dortmund are huffing and puffing in the rain, but the Gunners will be pleased that they have kept their shape so far.
Arsenal get their first attempt to counter, with Ozil finding Sagna down the right, but Dortmund are back so quickly and the right-back has nowhere to go. Mkhitaryan then fouls Arteta - he just didn't have any time on the ball the Arsenal man.
We have not seen as much from the attacking players as I had expected, unfortunately. Lewandowski is drifting into the channels to support Reus, who has been quiet so far. Really good tackle from Gibbs there as Dortmund looked to break.
He has dealt with the overlapping threat of Grosskreutz well so far, the Arsenal left-back, as he beats his man to the ball there to clear danger. Arsenal have rarely been in the Dortmund half as yet, though, with a rare foray ending with Ozil's pass to Gibbs being overhit.
CLOSE! So, so close from Subotic. It was the first real chance as a Reus free kick was headed across goal by Ramsey, with Subotic reaching the second ball first but prodding it just wide of the diving Szczesny's post.
Arsenal have just come into it a little more lately. They still have not had a chance, but Giroud has seen a bit more of the ball. That said, Dortmund get forward with Grosskreutz who wins his side a corner.
BOOKING: First yellow of the night is for a frustrated Arteta. He's turned by Kuba as he's surrounded by three red shirts, but the Spaniard is silly to pull his shirt as he was going nowhere.
It is in fact the opposite type of game than I was expecting. Whistles from the Dortmund fans as Reus goes down and Arsenal try to break, but in the end Rosicky is outmuscled by Schmelzer and gives away a free kick.
Arsenal have a bit of possession, with Sagna looking for Giroud with a cross, but it's headed away and eventually Gibbs is offside wide on the left. The Arsenal man is beginning to get forward a bit more now.
It's still mainly in the middle with neither side having much of the ball in their opponent's final third. Reus beats Arteta to the ball and drives goalwards, but a combination of defenders clears the danger for the visitors. Still that one chance only.
Dortmund are just beginning to ramp up the pressure a little bit, with Mkhitaryan in particular seeing a lot of the ball. Even so, Wenger must be pleased with what he has seen so far - his players have defended from the front really well.
CHANCE! Sven Bender is penalised for a foul jumping to meet a free kick, which offers a little respite for the Gunners. Then what a chance! Mkhitaryan breaks clear after being put in my Kuba, but he puts his left-footed effort wide with the whole goal to aim at! What a let-off for Arsenal.
BOOKING: It's starting to look like a game that might be won by a single big chance. Dortmund so far have had two, and certainly should be ahead. Lewandowsk is booked for catching Ramsey from behind - he can have no complaints.
Half-chance for Lewandowski as he cut in from the left. Arsenal backed off him, which made up his mind, but his shot from the corner of the box was never troubling Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.
There will be just one minute of time added on. Can either side get the advantage before the break? I don't think so...
HALF-TIME: Dortmund 0-0 Arsenal
Well I expected goals from this one but I have been proven very much wrong so far! Two clear chances have gone Dortmund's way but really 0-0 is the right result at the break. Disappointing.
Despite not creating anything, Arsenal cannot be too disappointed so far. A point here was always going to be a good result and they have defended well to restrict Dortmund to just six shots. Arsenal have not had one - which must be rare.
I don't expect any changes at the break. Wenger will be torn between trying to get his side to attack more without losing their shape. Something certainly needs to happen in the attacking department. For both teams.
The other game in the group sees Napoli beating Marseille 2-1 at the break. That's not a good result for either of the teams here. The teams are coming back out and we're nearly ready to go again.
KICKOFF: We are back underway then. This time Arsenal get us started. What will this half bring?
Good defensive positioning there from Arteta. Dortmund attack at pace with Grosskreutz trying to cut-back from the byline, but the Spaniard is there to clear Arsenal's lines. No real chance yet in the half.
SAVE! First lapse at the back for Arsenal. Reus is left unmarked just inside the area from a cross and although there wasn't much power it was going in, with Szczesny diving across to make the save.
GOAL DISALLOWED: Dortmund have it in the net, but it's ruled out. Kuba delays his shot, which is too close to Szczesny and from the rebound Reus - and a couple of others - is offside as he turns it in.
A grimace for Klopp on the sidelines after that, but the signs are that his team are starting to carve the Gunners open. Lewandowski is brought down by Arteta, who is on very thin ice at the moment - the game is just too quick for him. Reus steps over the free kick...
Wasteful, very wasteful. He gets under his striker and fires it into the Yellow Wall. What a magnificent touch from Reus from a rare long ball, but he cannot do anything with it after bringing it down superbly.
It must be a frustrating evening for Giroud. He has barely had a touch but has run an awful lot with the pressing from the front. Mkhitaryan does well to reach the ball on the right, but his pass to Kuba is cut out and Arsenal win a throw.
Oh dear Giroud. Rosicky plays a superb outside of the boot pass to the Frenchman, who controls well but then puts his pass straight at a yellow shirt. Arsenal have not been in that position much so cannot blow it when they do.
GOAL! Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal (Aaron Ramsey)
Well what can you say?! Giroud nods the ball back towards Ramsey from cross and diving on to the ball he bundles it in! This could be smash and grab of the most extreme kind!
CHANCE! Reus should have equalised! Lewandowski turns the ball towards the German in the middle and he is caught in too minds whether to smash it or place it and in the end gets hardly a touch on it at all.
CHANCES! Ramsey gets another effort but this time Weidenfeller turns it away. From the corner the keeper dives across again to clear off the line and Dortmund survive. They break immediately but Arsenal manage to clear. Brilliant end-to-end stuff now.
Shouts for a penalty, but it's desperation more than anything as Lewandowski jumps over Arteta, who made no attempt at a trip. Suddenly Arsenal are full of life and they come again, but Giroud loses out to Sokratis.
Ozil picks up the ball wide on the right, but his cross towards Giroud is headed away. From it Dortmund break again and Lewansowski tries to find Mkhitaryan but it's overhit and Szczesny gathers. The pace has slowed down a little now and because it has Arsenal have a real chance here.
DORTMUND SUBS: Now Gibbs must be alert. Kuba is replaced by the rapid Aubameyang, with Jonas Hofmann coming on for Bender - that's an attacking move.
ARSENAL SUB: Macho Monreal comes on for Santi Cazorla to sure up that left-hand side for Arsenal. That could be a good move.
Arsenal come down the right through Ozil. He looks to play a one-two with Ramsey, but has to settle for a throw. They're slowing it down now every time it goes out of play, and I can't blame them.
Real shout for a penalty there for Arsenal as Koscielny is clattered in the box. He looks in pain and I certainly think there was a claim for a spot kick, but the referee does not think so.
Dortmund get to attack before the referee waves Koscielny back on. Fortunately for the visitors nothing comes of it. Dortmund conceded against Napoli for that very reason earlier in the group, which led to Klopp being suspended for screaming at the fourth official.
Dortmund do not have long to equalise now, and really since the goal they have created very little. Julian Scheiber comes on for them and it's Reus who makes way. Can he create anything late on?
It's looking less and less likely for Dortmund. I guess on balance over the two games it's fair - Arsenal were the better side at the Emirates.
ARSENAL SUB: Bentdner is on for Giroud, in what is surely an attempt to kill some time.
ARSENAL SUB: Now Risicky, who has been excellent against his old team, is off for Thomas Vermaelen.
Just one minute of the four remaining. Dortmund have failed to score just once in their last 60 games, this is about to be twice in 61 - that is no mean feat from Arsenal.
Arsenal have it in the corner, but Ozil is given offside after Bendtner's touch. Dortmund break rapidly and Lewandowski wants a penalty as he goes up for a header but it's not given and that could be it.
FULL-TIME! Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal
Well, well, well. Arsenal have become the first English side to win here in Europe. They were very fortunate indeed, but that is a huge result and they are now surely favourites to advance!
Thanks for joining me tonight, that's all I've got time for. Please do stay on site to read the results and reaction from tonight's games. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
