Published: 17 September, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

OLIVIER Giroud saw red as Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb last night (Wednesday) to get their Champions League campaign off to the worst possible start.

Manager Arsene Wenger admitted it was “a miserable way” for his Gunners side to start the competition, adding that he felt they were “unlucky” on the night.

“We have lost the game, and that’s not the way we wanted to begin the competition,” he said. “I think we were a bit unlucky. We faced a Zagreb team who were committed, and got a lot of advantages.

“Once we went 2-0, and it was 10 against 11, it became very difficult against a team defending in their own half. Unfortunately we couldn’t come back.”

Arsenal went behind in unusual circumstances when Josip Pivaric’s 24th-minute shot was saved by goalkeeper David Ospina but rebounded in off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was chasing back trying to help defend.

Things went from bad to worse for Wenger’s side just before the break when Giroud, who had already been booked for dissent, was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Ivo Pinto. Dinamo Zagreb doubled their lead on 58 minutes when Junior Fernandes took advantage of some poor Arsenal defending, beating Laurent Koscielny to the ball and heading past Ospina at the near post.

Substitute Theo Walcott pulled a goal back for the visitors with 11 minutes remaining, but it only proved to be a consolation as Arsenal became the first English side to taste defeat against Dinamo Zagreb at the Stadion Maksimir.

Wenger, who made six changes to the side that beat Stoke on Saturday, said he accepted Giroud was wrong to talk back to the referee – but insisted that the French forward was still unlucky to be sent off.

“I think on the first yellow card, he’s unlucky, because it’s a foul for us, and on the second it’s an accident – he didn’t foul the player on purpose.

“On the first booking, Giroud was unlucky with the decision, but he shouldn’t have protested at all. We have to take it on the chin and just focus on our next game.”