Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos: Gunners Get Two First Half Goals in Champions League Win

Arsenal followed their wins against Shrewsbury and Bolton with a 2-1 win over Olympiakos on Wednesday at Emirates Stadium in Champions League group play.

In an intense match, the Gunners got two first half goals, as manager Arsene Wenger watched from the stands with assistant Pat Rice on the sidelines.

Young winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got the Gunners on the board in the eight minute when the 18-year-old, making a surprise start, chested the ball, and pounced on the opportunity in the box after the pass from Alex Song.

Twelve minutes later, Andre Santos, another newcomer, sent a short cross to Marouane Chamakh in an attempt to get a poacher goal, but it was broken up by the Olympiakos defense Santos got the ball back, and ripped a right-footed shot that gave Arsenal the two-goal lead.

The Gunners had some nervous moments before the halftime whistle. Spanish forward David Fuster scored to cut the lead in half for Olympiakos in the 27th minute, as the Greek club showed they deserved to be taken seriously after a sluggish start.

In the second half, Olympiakos gave the Gunners a major scare with a curling shot by Vasilis Torosidis hit the crossbar. It was the only real chance that Olympiakos for the entire half.

Regular starters Robin van Persie and Aaron Ramsey began the match on the bench, but both made appearances in the final 20 minutes. It was a makeshift squad for Arsenal, but they played well as a unit. The London club are battling injuries, and Wenger decided to rest some key players heading into a tough Premier League match at White Hart Lane this weekend.

Olympiakos has 16 shots, with five on goal, after showing much better poise and confidence after the two Arsenal goals. However, Arsenal had possession for 58 percent of the match, and quality chances with 13 shots, and five on goal.

In their last game, Arsenal earned a 1-1 result with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.