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Last-gasp Arsenal ruin Thun's UEFA Champions League debut [Thu Sep 15th, 2005]
London (Reuters) - An injury-time goal by substitute Dennis Bergkamp gave 10-man Arsenal a 2-1 victory over Thun to deny the Swiss outsiders a memorable UEFA Champions League debut.
There were no slips for Udinese, however, also playing in Europe's top club competition for the first time, as they thumped Panathinaikos 3-0 with a hat-trick by Italy international Vincenzo Iaquinta.
Juventus won 2-1 at Club Bruges to make it a clean sweep of wins for the four Italian clubs after AC Milan and Inter Milan won on Tuesday.
Ajax Amsterdam grabbed an injury-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at Sparta Prague while Benfica also scored in added time to beat Lille 1-0.
Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Rapid Vienna, Barcelona won 2-0 at Werder Bremen while Manchester United were held to a goalless draw at another Champions League debutant Villarreal - after striker Wayne Rooney was sent off and the Spaniards hit the bar in the last minute.
ARSENAL DISMISSAL
Thun were playing in the amateur Swiss third division nine years ago but showed that they had come a long way by beating Dynamo Kiev and Malmo in the qualifying rounds.
The trip to Arsenal demanded a further step up and they responded to the challenge to reach half-time goalless, with Arsenal reduced to 10 men just before the break with a red card for striker Robin van Persie.
Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva calmed the Arsenal nerves when he headed the opening goal after 51 minutes, but Highbury was stunned when Nelson Ferreira looped in an equaliser two minutes later.
Arsenal struggled to find further openings until 36-year-old substitute Bergkamp won the ball in the box and kept his cool to slot his first Champions League goal for three years.
The group stage got off to an eye-catching start, as nine-time champions Real Madrid were thumped 3-0 by Olympique Lyon.
Holders Liverpool, having come through three qualifying rounds, won 2-1 at Real Betis while 2005 runners-up AC Milan beat Fenerbahce 3-1.
There were also wins for both last year's losing semi-finalists - Chelsea and PSV Eindhoven, as well as Rosenborg Trondheim, Inter Milan and Rangers.
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