Arsenal, VfB Stuttgart and Olympiakos Piraeus all scored 2-0 away wins in their final Champions League playoff matches last night to take a big stride towards the group stage before next week's second legs.

Arsenal became the first English club to win a European tie at Celtic since Nottingham Forest in 1983 with a deflected William Gallas effort and an own goal from Gary Caldwell giving them victory.

Arsenal took the lead at Celtic when Cesc Fabregas's 43rd-minute free-kick was deflected past Celtic keeper Artur Boruc after bouncing off the back of Gallas who appeared to be crouching to get out of the way.

The goal may have had an element of luck but Arsenal had enjoyed the better of the play and confirmed their superiority when Caldwell, sent off playing for Scotland last week, endured more bad luck when he deflected a cross into his own net after 71 minutes.

"I felt we had more control of the ball before we scored and they did not trouble us defensively but it was a real cup game today and we needed some mental strength to get through that," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports News.

Celtic coach Tony Mowbray added: "I think Gallas was trying to get out of the way for their first goal but it knocked the stuffing out of what we were trying to do. Arsenal gave us a lesson with and without the ball and a lot of our players are disappointed with their own performances."