Bendtner gets Arsenal back to winning ways

(CNN) -- A late Nicklas Bendtner goal proved enough for Arsenal to get back to winning ways with a 1-0 Champions League Group G victory over Dynamo Kiev, a result that ensured their qualification into the group stages.

Bendtner, on as a second-half substitute, superbly fired home three minutes from time after a long pass from newly-appointed captain Cesc Fabregas had expertly split the Kiev defense.

The Ukrainian side were incensed that the goal was allowed to stand, as Fabregas had played a moving ball following a stoppage -- although it appeared as if the pass had come as a direct result of a drop ball rather than a free-kick after play had been halted for injuries to both sides.

So angry were the visiting side that Olexandr Aliyev appeared to barge the referee out of the way, resulting in his dismissal for a second yellow card.

Arsenal had gone into the match on the back of consecutive Premier League defeats and with Fabregas having replaced William Gallas as captain following a week of turmoil at the club -- and that disruption appeared to show in a nervy performance by the home side.

Despite this, they still enjoyed more of the possession in a cagey first 45 minutes, with Carlos Vela and Robin van Persie both going close to opening the scoring.

However, it was Kiev who wasted the best chance of the first half when Gallas -- restored to the side after being dropped for the weekend defeat at Manchester City -- was caught in possession by Ismael Bagoura, but the Guinea forward struck the outside of the post from an acute angle when team-mates were in a better position to score.

The second half took a similar pattern to the first, with Arsenal enjoying the bulk of the possession with the Kiev defense holding firm.

Van Persie still appeared the player most likely to break the deadlock but again he was deprived when team-mate Gallas could not get out of the way of a shot that looked goalbound.

With 14 minutes to go, a stunning reaction save from goalkeeper Manuel Almunia kept Arsenal in it, when he raced out to block Artem Milevskiy's snap- shot at the far post.

A 0-0 draw would probably have been enough to have secured Arsenal's qualification, but Bendtner's late strike made their continued progress a reality.

"It was important to win this game," said Fabregas. "We did very well, and the attitude was spot on from the first minute to the last.

"It is a great result. We know for sure we are through to the next round so that is fantastic. I don't know why the Kiev players were unhappy with the goal. The referee said 'leave the ball to me' -- so I took it and played. We have to accept that," Fabregas added.

Meanwhile, Lisandro Lopez scored two first-half goals to give Porto a 2-1 win at Fenerbahce to join Arsenal in the last 16.

Lopez gave Porto the lead in the 19th minute when he volleyed home from inside the area and he scored again nine minutes later -- receiving a long pass from Jorge Fucile and pouncing on the rebound after Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirel blocked his initial attempt.

Substitute Colin Kazim-Richards pulled a goal back for the home side in the 63rd minute minute, when his angled shot from outside the area deflected off Bruno Alves and sailed over Porto goalkeeper Helton.

Arsenal have 11 points and Porto have nine, meaning both teams qualify from the group. However, the two teams will meet in the final match in Portugal with Arsenal just needing a draw to finish top of the group.