London: Robert Lewandowski's late volleyed winner threw Champions League Group F wide open as Borussia Dortmund heaped more German misery on Arsenal with a 2-1 victory at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
The match appeared to be petering out into a draw when the unmarked Pole was picked out at the far post by Kevin Grosskreutz in the 82nd minute and he sealed victory for last season's Champions League finalists.
Dortmund, whose coach Juergen Klopp had to watch the match from the stands following a touchline ban, had punished a slow start from the home side to take the lead through Henrikh Mkhitaryan after 16 minutes, but the hosts hit back before halftime through France striker Olivier Giroud.
Dortmund, Arsenal and Napoli, who won 2-1 at Olympique Marseille on Tuesday, have six points, with Marseille bottom with none. Borussia emulated Schalke and Bayern Munich who won at Arsenal in the Champions League last season.
Widely praised for their free-flowing football against Norwich City at the weekend, Arsenal appeared to be basking in their own hype as Dortmund bossed the opening 20 minutes.
Marco Reus fired one dangerous effort wide after a swift break and with 16 minutes gone the visitors went ahead when Aaron Ramsey, who has hardly put a foot wrong this season, was robbed by Lewandowski on the edge of his own area.
MISTAKE PUNISHED
Lewandowski played a quick pass to Armenian Mkhitaryan whose low shot nestled in the corner of Wojciech Szczesny's net.
Manager Arsene Wenger, celebrating his 64th birthday, looked apoplectic at the gift offered up by his Premier League leaders although Arsenal were nearly given an immediate reprieve when Mats Hummels felled Giroud inches outside the area and escaped with a booking. The resultant free-kick came to nothing.
Dortmund's yellow army of fans drowned out the home support for much of the half but Arsenal did finally stir into life with Jack Wilshere denied by Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfelder after being sent clear by Tomas Rosicky, and Rosicky having a shot cleared off the line by Hummels.
The home pressure eventually told when Arsenal equalised four minutes before halftime. Weidenfelder and Hummels got in each other's way trying to deal with Bacary Sagna's cross and Giroud thumped the loose ball into an empty net for his seventh goal of the season.
Dortmund began the second half apparently intent on stifling Arsenal's momentum with a passage of "keep ball" in harmless areas of the pitch but it had the desired effect with Arsenal becalmed until the introduction of Santi Cazorla.
The Spaniard, on for the tiring Wilshere, injected energy into the hosts and curled a long-range shot against the angle of post and crossbar after being teed up Mesut Ozil.
A draw would have suited Arsenal and kept them in control of the group but Lewandowski provided a painful sting in the tail.
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