Arsenal subs deliver in 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in Champions League; Union dazzles in debut

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Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores the opening goal of his team during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Arsenal at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Athletic Bilbao's Daniel Vivian, background, defends against Arsenal's Viktor Gyoekeres during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Arsenal at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) — Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores the opening goal of his team during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Arsenal at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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7:40 AM on Tuesday, September 16

By ANDREW DAMPF

Viktor Gyokeres was off target in his Champions League debut for Arsenal.

The London club’s substitutes were decisive, though, in a 2-0 win for the Gunners at Athletic Bilbao on the opening night of this season’s competition Tuesday.

Gabriel Martinelli scored less than a minute after he came on and Leandro Trossard — who had replaced Gyokeres — doubled the lead 15 minutes later.

Gyokeres — Arsenal’s prized signing who scored six Champions League goals for Sporting Lisbon last season — missed a golden chance shortly after the break. The Sweden international evaded his marker with ease and rose to meet a well-placed free kick from Declan Rice but his header went well wide of the target.

Martinelli and Trossard also provided the assists on each other’s goals.

Union's memorable debut

Competition newcomer Union Saint-Gilloise made a memorable debut, as the Belgian club won 3-1 across the border at PSV Eindhoven.

The first goal of this season’s competition was a penalty kick converted by Canada international Promise David.

The penalty was awarded when United States international Ricardo Pepi harshly landed his boot into the leg of Union’s English center back Christian Burgess.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar then went the wrong way on the spot kick in the ninth minute.

Another error by Pepi led to Union’s second before the break, a dribbling exhibition and expert finish by Anouar Ait El Hadj.

Union, which qualified by winning the Belgian league for the first time in 90 years, is one of four clubs making their competition debuts this season. The others are Bodø/Glimt (from Norway), Kairat (Kazakhstan) and Pafos (Cyprus).

Argentine defender Kevin Mac Allister, who is named for Macaulay Culkin’s character in “Home Alone,” made it 3-0 from close range in the 81st.

Ruben van Bommel — the son of former Netherlands standout Mark van Bommel — scored for PSV in the 90th.

PSV had gone unbeaten in its previous 11 group or league matches in UEFA competition.

Second season of new format

This is the second season of the league phase format with 36 teams playing eight different opponents on a weighted schedule through January, and ranked in a single-standings table. The first round is spread over three days this week.

Record 15-time champion Real Madrid was hosting Marseille later and needs just one win and two goals to become the first team to reach the respective landmarks of 200 wins and 700 goals.

Also later, Qarabag faces a lengthy trip to Benfica and Tottenham hosts Villarreal and Juventus welcomes Borussia Dortmund.

The top eight teams advance to the round of 16. The next 16 teams enter a two-leg playoff, with eight advancing.

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