Champions League/Arsenal 2 Dinamo Zagreb 1: Arsenal took time to find their feet in this second competitive fixture here but two late goals from Freddie Ljungberg and Mathieu Flamini secured their passage into the group stage.
Jose Antonio Reyes, ostensibly because of a groin injury, was absent last night and will therefore be available for any of his suitors during this season's Champions League competition should he depart the Emirates Stadium. Both Real and Atletico Madrid are chasing him now.
With Dinamo closing down Arsenal's right flank with a deep-lying wing-back in Carlos Santos De Jesus, Alexander Hleb's penetration was dulled, allowing the visitors to mount their own attacks down that side.
Thus it was that Jasmin Agic released Oelilton Araujo dos Santos Etto with a high ball. The Brazilian and Eduardo, a naturalised Croatian born in Brazil, exchanged passes. Though the second failed to reach its target, Kolo Touré's attempted interception served only to play in Eduardo, who pounced with a first-time, left-foot shot that swept past Manuel Almunia.
Wenger was incensed, and his touchline prowl served as a reveille for his soporific stars.
The Croatian team were able to thwart several Arsenal attacks with such last-ditch lunges.
Touré headed Cesc Fábregas's hanging free-kick across goal as the goalkeeper, Ivan Turina, failed to gather.
Van Persie struck his shot well but a selfless dive from Mario Cvitanovic deflected the ball to safety via the bar.
Van Persie soon had a modicum of revenge by turning Cvitanovic inside the penalty area, but his near-post shot was turned round the post by Turina.
Hleb delivered a looping pass to Emmanuel Adebayor 12 yards out, whose downward header found Freddie Ljungberg. The Swede shot at goal but Turina saved with a foot.
The pressure could not be sustained and Zagreb fought back. Eduardo passed between Hleb's legs to Modric, who shot wide, before Etto came inside from the right flank and fired wide from Mathieu Flamini's legs.
Wenger was relieved to take stock at half-time while Arsenal's fans drew more succour from seeing Henry, Gilberto and Theo Walcott warming up on the touchline. There was certainly little to encourage them on the pitch.
Henry was soon introduced at Adebayor's expense, to grateful applause from the home crowd. Gilberto soon joined his captain from the bench and there was immediately more fluency to Arsenal's build-up play as the Brazilian took up positions that made him available to passers while allowing Flamini and Fabregas to push on.
That outlet won Arsenal a free-kick close to the right touchline, where Van Persie delivered the assist for Ljungberg's equaliser.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Eboue, Toure, Djourou, Hoyte, Hleb (Silva 70), Fabregas, Flamini, Ljungberg, Van Persie (Walcott 81), Adebayor (Henry 65). Subs Not Used: Poom, Song Billong, Cygan, Aliadiere. Booked: Flamini, Djourou, Walcott. Goals: Ljungberg 77, Flamini 90.
DINAMO ZAGREB: Turina, Corluka, Cvitanovic, Mamic, Drpic, Eto (Tomic 90), Vukojevic (Ljubojevic 89), Agic (Buljat 69), Carlos, Modric, Eduardo. Subs Not Used: Loncaric, Pandev, Costa. Booked: Agic, Drpic, Buljat. Goals: Eduardo 12.
Referee: Bertrand Layec (France).
