FULL-TIME: HAMBURG 1-2 ARSENAL

The answer is no as the final whistle goes and Arsenal win fairly comfortably despite the late setback

Surely Hamburg can't come back now? They looked down and out until that late strike

HAMBURG 1-2 ARSENAL: Sanogo has the simple task of scooping the ball into the unguarded net after Jarolim cut it back and took Lehmann out of the equation

Sanogo heads the ball over the line after a shot from Trochowski hits the bar and is fired back into the box but the Hamburg striker is yards offside

Wachter again springs off his line to claim at the feet of Adebayor as Arsenal expose gaps in the Hamburg defence

Rosicky looks for a cute chip over the top to Baptista but the keeper is alive to the danger and claims ahead of the Brazilian

Hamburg are still huffing and puffing but unless Arsenal make a mistake there will be no home goal here tonight

Ljuboja is replaced by Jose Paolo Guerrero as Hamburg make a final change

Now it's Hamburg's turn to keep the ball but they lack the guile to get in behind Arsenal and look like drawing a blank here

It's barely walking pace now when Arsenal get the ball as they look to run down the clock

Silva misses a gilt-edged opportunity as he steals in and meets a Flamini corner with a powerful header but it flashes over the bar

The ball almost drops to Baptista in the box but to the keeper's credit he is alert and smothers the danger

To Hamburg's credit they haven't given up but they look a little lightweight in attack to really cause Arsenal problems

Hleb and van Persie are replaced by Julio Baptista and Mathieu Flamini as Arsenal ring the changes

Sanogo can only loft a weak shot towards goal as two yellow shirts crowd out the striker - this match looks all but over now

van Persie stings the palms of the keeper with a powerful free-kick from 25 yards as Arsenal come close again

Arsenal look comfortable at the back here despite the early loss of Toure

Fabregas draws a good save from the keeper with a low drive from the edge of the box as Hamburg start to leave gaps at the back

Hamburg trouble Arsenal and in particular Lehmann with another corner - maybe a set-piece is a way back into this match for the Germans?

This is a real test of character for Hamburg now with the visitors well in command of this match

Mehdi Mahdavikia replaces Demel for Hamburg

HAMBURG 0-2 ARSENAL: Rosicky is given time and space to line up and dispatch a blockbuster of a drive from 30 yards - what a goal and it's a first in an Arsenal shirt by the Czech international

Sanogo plays keepy uppy in the Arsenal box before firing over a cross which is scooped wide by a team-mate as the Gunners go to sleep for a moment

Fabregas is given time and space in the box but rather than go for goal he opts for an elaborate back heel and Hamburg recover to snuff out the danger

Arsenal begin the second period with a numerical advantage both in terms of goals and players

HALF-TIME: HAMBURG 0-1 ARSENAL

Lehmann is again called into action to palm away a 20-yard strike from Ljuboja as Hamburg continue to play well in the closing seconds of the first period

Lehmann does really well to flick a cross virtually off the head of Sanogo on the penalty spot as Hamburg finish the half with purpose

Fabregas can't believe that he hasn't won a penalty after he looked to be held while trying to reach Adebayor's flick on

van Persie takes a touch to compose himself before testing the keeper with a low drive from 20 yards which is held on the line

Arsenal are totally dominating possession here but like in the Premiership they have a tendency to over play at times rather than go for the kill

van Persie dummies his marker 30 yards from goal but with a rush of blood to the head lashes an ambitious shot well off target

Eboue now is inches away with a low drive from the edge of the box as Arsenal continue to boss this game

van Persie pulls a low cross-goal shot inches the wrong side of the far post but the offside flag is dubiously raised

Eboue charges out of defence to pick up an intelligent throw from Lehmann but his pass looking for the unmarked Tomas Rosicky is slightly over-hit and Hamburg escape

Vincent Kompany is inches away from flicking a near-post corner into the back fo the net as Hamburg threaten seriously for the first time

Justin Hoyte comes on for Arsenal as Toure can't continue any longer

The ball drops to van Persie alone in the box but after he rolls the ball through the keeper's legs a late flag for offside goes up

Toure is still struggling and it could be game over for Arsenal's defensive lynchpin here

Sanogo meets a corner with a header that flies well over but that's a warning for Arsenal not to lose their concentration

Cesc Fabregas cuts the ball back to van Persie on the edge of the six-yard box but his first-time shot is deflected into the arms of the keeper - that was a real let off for Hamburg

Toure looks to be struggling with a back injury after an innocuous challenge - losing him would be a blow for the Gunners

Arsenal look content to spray the ball around now with confidence as the onus is on the home side to come at them

The game has settled down now after a frantic couple of minutes

HAMBURG 0-1 ARSENAL: Silva steps up and drills the penalty to the right of the keeper and comfortably into the back of the net - that was a confident strike

Stefan Wachter comes on as the replacement keeper with Raphael Wicky making way - his first job will be to face the spot-kick

Penalty to Arsenal - van Persie wrong foots the keeper who clips the Dutchman's heels when he was about to roll the ball home and there's a red card too

Gilberto Silva is lucky to escape a caution for a lunging challenge on a Hamburg player deep in the Arsenal half

Ljuboja loses his marker with a drop of the shoulder and lashes a low shot just the wrong side of the upright with Jens Lehmann flat-footed

Emmanuel Eboue slips when in possession but Hamburg can't capitalise as a loose pass from Danijel Ljuboja is tidied up by Kolo Toure on the edge of the box

Gallas slices a 20-yard shot inadvertantly to the far post and it almost drops for van Persie - that would have been a lucky break for Arsenal

Boubacar Sanogo has an early drive from the edge of the box which is blocked as Hamburg start confidently

Hamburg start the game in front of a full house at the AOL Arena

Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie will start up front with new signing William Gallas continuing at left-back

The Arsenal skipper suffered a reaction to a foot injury in Saturday's draw with Middlesbrough and with a huge game against Manchester United on Sunday will not be risked here

Arsene Wenger’s side have hardly enjoyed the best of starts to their season – they have yet to win a match in the Premiership – and their task tonight has not been helped by the absence of Thierry Henry

Arsenal open their Champions League Group G campaign with a potentially difficult trip to Hamburg tonight