Audacious penalty

Arsenal and Schalke 04 both took maximum points away from home in Group B.

The London side went behind against debutants Montpellier after only nine minutes when Younes Belhanda chipped an audacious penalty past Arsenal reserve goalkeeper Vito Mannone after Thomas Vermaelen upended Belhanda in the box.

Arsenal's Lukas Podolski celebrates after scoring the first goal for his team during their Champions League soccer match against Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson stadium in Montpellier, Sept 18, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

But Arsenal, whose banned French coach Arsene Wenger watched from the stands, stormed back with a well-worked equaliser by Lukas Podolski after 16 minutes before Gervinho scored what was to be the winner with a close-range strike two minutes later.

Schalke won 2-1 at Olympiakos Piraeus with Benedikt Hoewedes and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who later missed a penalty, scoring for the German side. Djamel Abdoun had equalised for the hosts.

Borussia Dortmund began with a 1-0 victory over Ajax in Group D with Robert Lewandowski scoring three minutes from time after Mats Hummels had a penalty saved in the 58th minute.

With Real and Manchester City to come, points are at a premium in Group D and Dortmund will be looking to build on their first win when they travel to Manchester on Oct. 3.

AC Milan, seven times European champions, were jeered off by frustrated fans after failing to score at the San Siro for the third successice match, this time against an Anderlecht side back in the Champions League after a six-year absence.