Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reacts during a Champions League Group F match against Dinamo Zagreb at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, Sept 16, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

LIVEWIRE SOUDANI

Sensing blood, a fired-up Dinamo came storming out after the interval and livewire Soudani, a handful all night for his markers, hit the post with a glancing header barely a minute into the second half.

The home fans were in raptures in the 58th minute when Chilean Fernandes rose at the near post to head home an inviting Paulo Machado corner past a static Arsenal defence.

Wenger then replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain with Walcott and the winger made a quick impact, racing clear of two markers before he beat the advancing Eduardo with a sublime finish in the 79th minute.

But Arsenal could not force a late equaliser and Dinamo's coach Zoran Mamic was elated with the result.

"I hoped secretly we could pull off a miracle because we were really focused on this one," he told a news conference.

"A debacle was never on my mind because I knew we could stay on the same par physically with a team uncomfortable against rivals who can keep possession."