Arsenal break down dogged Steaua defence

Steaua Bucharest 0 Arsenal 1

Robin van Persie ensured Arsenal's impressive start to the new season continued against a stubborn Steaua Bucharest tonight to maintain their 100% Champions League record.

The Premier League leaders had the majority of possession all night against Steaua, who had never lost to English opposition in Europe before.

That record was always going to be severely tested by Arsene Wenger's men, who go from strength to strength.

After seeing Cesc Fabregas blaze an early chance over the bar from close range and then surviving a brief rally by the hosts, van Persie struck with 15 minutes left.

Talk off the pitch may be of a supposed Russian takeover but on it, Wenger's young Gunners show little sign of anything distracting them from the job of winning football matches.

A poor crowd was not surprising given the recent turmoil under controversial owner Gigi Becali, who said he would sack caretaker coach Massimo Pedrazzini in the event of a defeat.

Steaua, though, started well and created the first decent opening on five minutes when Valentin Badea headed over a left-wing cross from Romeo Surdu.

The Romanians then had the ball in the net when Badea swept home a free-kick at the far post, only for the offside flag to silence the celebrations.

Arsenal immediately broke down the right, and Alexander Hleb - fit again after being stretchered off at West Ham on Saturday - found himself in space in the area.

His cut-back picked out Fabregas but somehow the normally composed midfielder managed to smash a shot high over the bar from six yards.

Captain Nicolae Dica then drilled a low 20-yard strike wide of Manuel Almunia's right-hand post.

Arsenal soon started to build a spell of pressure themselves, with the hard-working Emmanuel Adebayor seeing plenty of the ball.

On 29 minutes he got in behind the defence and cut an intelligent pass back across the six-yard box but there was no-one on hand for the tap in.

Hleb, 15 yards out, then collected a quick return pass from Fabregas and was unfortunate to see his snapshot charged down.

There looked to be a let off for the home side on 40 minutes after Arsenal worked the ball out to the left, where Gael Clichy whipped it in from the byline.

A deflection wrong-footed keeper Robinson Zapata and as the Colombian fell back to gather the ball, he appeared to carry it over the line.

The Steaua number one then showed quick reflexes to beat away a close-range effort from Mathieu Flamini as Arsenal pressed again.

At the start of the second half, Clichy whipped in a free-kick into the box but Adebayor just could not get enough contact as the goalkeeper almost fumbled the ball into his own net.

It was then Kolo Toure's turn to save his side, heading off the line after Adrian Neaga had sent a looping 25-yard shot back up over Almunia, who had raced out to head a long throughball clear.

Steaua made a change on the hour, with Victoras Iacob replacing Badea.

The home side then enjoyed their best spell of the game as the crowd suddenly found its voice.

However, despite plenty of possession, Steaua were also unable to find the decisive pass when it mattered.

When Iacob did beat the offside trap, the giant striker made a complete hash of his 18-yard effort, smashing the ball horribly high into the stands over the bar.

Arsenal then finally made the breakthrough on 75 minutes, working the ball down the left side and to Adebayor in the box.

The Togo striker cut the ball back just behind Fabregas but it fell perfectly for van Persie, who made no mistake from six yards.

The hosts desperately looked for a way back into the match but the Gunners comfortably played out the closing stages to continue their impressive start to the campaign.