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Arsenal's Robin van Persie celebrates - Source: Reuters -
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Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin struck late to give Arsenal a 2-0 victory over Olympiakos in Champions League Group H on Wednesday after visiting keeper Antonis Nikopolidis produced wonders to keep them at bay.
Nikopolidis, Greece's formidable last line of defence in their trumphant 2004 European Championship odyssey, made a series of outstanding saves and at times appeared to be playing Arsenal on his own as he protected his goal.
Dutchman Van Persie spent most of the night locked in a personal duel with the grey-haired stopper but eventually found a way past to give Arsenal the lead they deserved after 78 minutes.
Russian playmaker Arshavin then put a realistic gloss on the scoreline with a tap-in second from a suspiciously offside position four minutes from time to send Arsenal clear at the top of the group with six points.
It was tough on Nikopolidis, but Olympiakos, managed by Brazilian great Zico, could have few complaints as they barely mustered an attack all night on the way to a ninth defeat out of nine away ties in England.
Arsenal could have been three up within 25 minutes.
Van Persie began his examination of Nikopolidis with a low shot from Gael Clichy's cut back and he then rocked the crossbar with a powerful left-foot drive before Tomas Rosicky's follow-up was beaten away by the over-worked keeper.
Nikopolidis then showed great agility to turn away Arshavin's low effort. The vocal visiting fans behind Nikopolidis's goal at least had a close-up view of the action but their side offered nothing to suggest that their dismal record in England was about to change.
Arsenal's only slight alarm in a first half of complete domination came 10 minutes before the interval when Vassilis Torosidis, scorer of the his side's goal in the 1-0 defeat of AZ in their opening match two weeks ago, headed straight at Vito Mannone when unmarked.
Olof Mellberg's header from Olympiakos's first corner of the game shortly after the break also caused a flutter in the Arsenal defence but normal service was soon resumed as Nikopolidis again thwarted Van Persie.
As the clock ticked down and with Olympiakos having long abandoned any pretence of attack, Eduardo combined with the hard-working Cesc Fabregas to tee up Van Persie for a chance that he tucked away to the relief of the majority of fans in the Emirates.
Arshavin, who had endured a frustrating evening, then ghosted in to side-foot Arsenal's second.
