London, Sep 10: Andrei Arshavin gave Arsenal its first victory of the Premier League season on Saturday, exploiting Swansea's goalkeeping blunder to clinch a 1-0 win.
The Russia striker scored five minutes before halftime to bring an end to a six-match league run without a win stretching back into last season.
After collecting the ball, Swansea goalkeeper Michael Vorm tried to quickly clear it but his underarm throw from the right of the penalty area deflected off Angel Rangel's heel.
And the loose ball fell to Arshavin, who found the net from a tight angle.
But the Gunners lacked the ruthlessness to build on that fortuitous goal in their first outing since an 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United before the international break.
That setback, which left Arsenal with just one point after three matches, was swiftly followed by manager Arsene Wenger making a raft of signings in the three days before the summer transfer window closed.
Wenger insists that the spree was not a frantic reaction to the loss, but based on pessimistic medical reports for midfielder Jack Wilshere and defender Thomas Vermaelen who are out injured.
All five newcomers made the bench, but only three featured on Saturday, with defender Per Mertesacker and midfielder Mikel Arteta starting while Yossi Benayon, on loan from Chelsea, later replaced Arshavin.
Arteta was seen as a direct replacement for the departed Cesc Fabregas and adeptly took the place of the former captain.
The former Everton midfielder nearly helped Arsenal make the perfect start after two minutes, slipping a perfect ball through to Aaron Ramsey but the Wales captain fired over.
Mertesacker had a tougher start to life in England, with Danny Graham getting in front of the Germany center back early on.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had to be alert to turn Graham's seventh-minute shot around the post and prevent Swansea scoring its first goal since gaining promotion.
Arsenal nearly went in front, though, after 15 minutes after a throughball from Arshavin to Walcott. The England winger had slipped the ball under Vorm and was only denied by Steven Caulker's goal-line clearance.
Although Swansea was mostly on the backfoot in the first half and Arsenal piled on the pressure, the breakthrough only came after the gift from Vorm.
And the Premier League's first Welsh team nearly leveled 10 minutes into the second half, with the crossbar only keeping out Scott Sinclair's well struck free kick.
And at the other end, Robin van Persie weaved through the Swansea defense before clipping the post, while Arsenal's Netherlands striker also struck over later in the match.
Van Persie came off with nine minutes to go and replacement Marouane Chamakh was set up by Kieran Gibbs' cross but his connecting header lacked power and was saved by Vorm.
Swansea was coached by assistants Colin Pascoe and Alan Curtis as manager Brendan Rodgers missed the game following the death of his father. AP
