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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund, Champions League

Arsenal took on Borussia Dortmund tonight, while we also kept a close eye on matches involving Chelsea and Celtic.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Arsenal 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Celtic 2-0 Ajax

Schalke 0-2 Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to our liveblog. Here are tonight’s teams…

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, Wilshere, Ozil, Rosicky, Giroud. Subs: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Monreal, Cazorla, Bendtner, Jenkinson, Gnabry.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND: Weidenfeller, Grosskreutz, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Bender, Sahin, Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus, Lewandowski. Subs: Langerak, Hofmann, Aubameyang, Kirch, Schieber, Papastathopoulos, Durm.

We’ll also be keeping an eye on the games involving Celtic and Chelsea, so here are the teams for their respective games (Ireland’s Anthony Stokes starts for the former)…

SCHALKE: Hildebrand, Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Aogo, Jones, Neustadter, Clemens, Meyer, Draxler, Boateng. Subs: Fahrmann, Hoogland, Felipe Santana, Kolasinac, Goretzka, Fuchs, Szalai.

CHELSEA: Cech, Azpilicueta, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic, Oscar, Ramires, Lampard, Schurrle, Torres, Hazard. Subs: Schwarzer, Luiz, Mata, Mikel, Willian, Eto’o, Bertrand.

CELTIC: Forster, Ambrose, Lustig, van Dijk, Mulgrew, Samaras, Pukki, Kayal, Izaguirre, Stokes, Forrest. Subs: Zaluska, Biton, Ledley, Balde, Rogic, Atajic, Fisher.

AJAX: Cillessen, Van Rhijn, Veltman, Denswil, Blind, De Jong, Poulsen, Serero, Andersen, Sigthorsson, Fischer. Subs: Vermeer, van der Hoorn, Boilesen, Klaassen, Schone, Hoesen, De Sa.

Roy Keane on Ferguson’s book revelations (on ITV): “To consequently criticise players that brought him success [is out of order].”

Keane adds that Ferguson “doesn’t know the meaning of the word [loyalty]“.

More Keane quotes: “I just don’t think the manager needs to do it. I don’t know how many books he’s written now. A lot of these players helped win a lot of trophies. It’s just part of modern life. People like to do books and criticise ex-players.

“I’ll have to do another book!”

h/t BBC Sport

Nice work by my colleague @fotoole13 here…

Want to see that Wilshere goal from the weekend one last time? Of course you do!

YouTube credit: lobbyee rayudu

We’re underway…

It’s been a relatively low key opening at the Emirates.

Reus just had a pot shot from just outside the box that went well over.

Chelsea have taken an early lead in Schalke.

Fernando Torres opens the scoring after 5 minutes. He heads home after Ivanovic’s flick-on from a corner.

Sagna gets himself in a promising position, but his through pass fails to find a red jersey.

Arsenal haven’t really clicked in attack yet.

Meanwhile, Milan have taken the lead against Barca through Robinho.

GOAL FOR BORUSSIA DORTMUND!

Henrikh Mkhitaryan hammers the ball home after Aaron Ramsey is caught dwelling in possession on the edge of the box.

Sloppy from Arsenal — it’s a cliché to say you can get away with that type of play in the Premier League, but it’s also probably true (15 mins).

Appeals for a penalty as Giroud is cynically taken down by Hummels, however the referee correctly rules that the infringement takes place outside the area.

The resulting free kick is headed over by Koscielny.

It’s now Barca 1-1 Milan.

Naturally, it’s Lionel Messi’s name on the scoresheet.

Clever through ball from Rosicky finds Wilshere.

He takes the ball past the goalkeeper but pushes it too far and it goes out for a goal kick.

Worryingly, for Arsenal fans, Wilshere seems to have fallen awkwardly and is currently receiving treatment.

Ramsey flashes a shot just wide, as Arsenal continue to probe. They have looked far more purposeful since conceding the opening goal.

Wilshere, meanwhile, is back in action, but still limping.

Marco Reus is played through but his tame shot is easily saved by Szczesny.

Dortmund continue to look dangerous on the rare occasions that they get the opportunity to counter-attack.

GOAL FOR ARSENAL!

Dangerous ball into the box from Sagna and Giroud gets to the ball ahead of the flailing Weidenfeller, and places it into the empty net (40 mins)

Arsenal had been knocking on the door, as Tomas Rosicky’s powerful volley had just been well cleared off the line by Hummels.

HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND

James Forrest gives Celtic the lead right on half-time with a penalty.

Parkhead is hopping…

Elsewhere tonight…

The second half is underway…

Dortmund have started the second half in fairly confident fashion, given that they were very much on the backfoot at the end of the first.

They’ve had the better of the possession and territory in recent minutes.

Here are the two goals from the match so far…

YouTube credit: WC2014hd

YouTube credit: Footy-Goals.Com

Celtic 2-0 AjaxKayal has doubled Celtic’s advantage at Parkhead.

Rumours of the Neil Lennon’s side’s Champions League demise have been greatly exaggerated, it seems.

Ozil breaks free on the right and wins a corner for Arsenal.

However, the set piece is easily cleared by Dortmund. It’s been a somewhat underwhelming second half so far.

Jurgen Klopp, who has been handed a touchline suspension for tonight owing to previous bad behaviour, is watching on from the stands.

(Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Some great football by Arsenal ends with the ball being played to Santi Cazorla.

The Spanish substitute’s shot deflects away after hitting the cross bar.

Encouraging signs for Arsenal fans.

Schalke 0-2 Chelsea: Fernando Torres seems to have sealed Chelsea’s victory with 20 minutes remaining in Germany.

If the scores stay the same, Chelsea will top Group E despite having lost to Basel.

Arsenal are adopting the more adventurous approach with 15 minutes remaining.

Dortmund currently look content to hang on.

Cazorla has made a big difference since coming on for Wilshere.

He’s made one or two incisive passes that deserved more than the recipient’s subsequent inept execution.

As I type, a ball is played into Giroud, but he fails to connect properly with the header.

GOAL FOR DORTMUND!

Dortmund 2-1 Arsenal: Perfect ball in from Grosskreutz to find the onrushing Lewandowski, who volleys home coolly (81 mins).

Against the run of play, the Germans go ahead. Arsene Wenger will be very disappointed that his men left the Polish striker unmarked at the far post.

Arsenal have turned to Nicklas Bendtner at this time of need.

He has come on for Aaron Ramsey.

Schalke 0-3 Chelsea: Eden Hazard puts this game beyond all doubt.

Chelsea appear to have delivered the classic away performance.

One minute for Arsenal to rescue a point…

FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 1-2 DORTMUND

There’s been a red card for Celtic substitute Nir Biton.

However, the 10 men only have a few seconds to hang on…

FULL-TIME: SCHALKE 0-3 CHELSEA

FULL-TIME: CELTIC 2-1 AJAX

Schone’s injury-time goal was not enough to prevent the Dutch side from losing.

It’s ended Milan 1-1 Barcelona.

That means Celtic are just two points behind the Italian side and four points behind Barca in Group H.

Right, that’s all from me.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Until next time…

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