Soccer: Defeat for Wenger but double joy for Torres

Chelsea's Fernando Torres, right. Photo / Getty Images

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres enjoyed differing fortunes on the former's 64th birthday and the latter's 100th start for Chelsea in Champions League soccer action yesterday.

Arsenal went down to their first defeat since the opening day of the English Premier League campaign, as last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund beat them 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Olivier Giroud cancelled out Henrikh Mkhitaryan's opener before Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored the winner, although he was fortunate to be on the pitch having elbowed Laurent Koscielny earlier in the second half.

After three rounds of games, Dortmund top the Group F table on goal difference from Arsenal, while Napoli joined them on six points after disposing of Marseille 2-1 in France.

Wenger said he hadn't seen the elbowing incident clearly enough to comment but accepted that his side had not been at their best.

"We have to look at ourselves for not being mature enough in situations like that. If you can't win the game you shouldn't lose it," he said.

Arsenal's English rivals Chelsea enjoyed better fortune against German opposition as a double from Torres - taking his tally to 39 for the London club - and one from Eden Hazard saw them to a 3-0 win and inflict a first defeat of the campaign on Schalke 04 in Group E.

Both Chelsea and Schalke are on six points while Basel are on four points after being held 1-1 by Steaua Bucharest in Romania.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, returning to the ground where he won his first Champions League title with Porto in 2004, praised Torres.

"He is not the kind of guy who hides behind the fee Chelsea paid for him," said Mourinho. "He always gives his best and he is a player I trust and respect."

The night's highest profile match ended in a 1-1 draw in Italy between AC Milan and Barcelona as Argentina's four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi showed he had recovered from his thigh injury by netting a fine equaliser.

That goal cancelled out Robinho's opener but, despite dominating the second half, Barcelona were unable to break down an obdurate Milan defence and dropped their first points of the campaign.

Barcelona top Group H with a two-point advantage over Milan while Scottish champions Celtic kept their hopes alive of reaching the last 16 for the second successive season with a 2-1 win at home to Ajax.

Atletico Madrid had no trouble in making it three wins from three by trouncing Austria Vienna 3-0 away in Group G.

A double from Brazil-born striker Diego Costa - one a magnificent solo run from the halfway line - on his return from a European ban was the foundation of their victory.

Atletico are now five points clear of Zenit St Petersburg, who won 1-0 at Porto.

- AAP