Arsenal took a giant step towards the quarter-finals of the Champions League when they ended their Spanish jinx by winning 3-2 at Celta Vigo.

Two goals from their Brazilian midfielder Edu, the second a wonderfully struck curling shot from the edge of the area, and a masterfully worked winner from Robert Pires 10 minutes from time gave the English Premier League leaders the advantage at the end of a thrilling first leg of this first knockout stage tie.

It also kept them in contention for the treble of English league, FA Cup and Champions League successes this season -- as well as giving them their first victory in a competitive match in Spain after five defeats.

With Arsenal unbeaten in the premier league this season it is hard to imagine Celta overturning the deficit when they visit Highbury in two weeks.

But Arsenal rode their luck against the home side who started slowly but gradually played their way back into a pulsating game.

In the end the sheer class and close understanding between French international colleagues Thierry Henry and Pires secured Arsenal's win.

They combined with a series of exchanges to split open the Celta defence and the home side, who twice came from behind, were finally left without a reply.

Brazilian midfielder Edu twice gave Arsenal the lead, the first time with a scrappy goal in which Celta keeper Pablo Cavallero suffered a facial injury but stayed on to complete the match.

Twice Celta levelled within 10 minutes, first through their own Brazilian midfielder Luis Edu who scored with a perfectly- placed header after a free kick from former Gunner Silvinho, and then from Jose Ignacio who prodded the ball home after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.

But winger Pires linked up neatly with Henry deep inside the Celta penalty area in the 80th minute before stroking the ball past keeper Pablo Cavallero.

Arsenal, with Patrick Vieira, Edu and Kolo Toure dominating the opposition, enjoyed plenty of possession but Celta battled hard with Alexander Mostovoi at the heart of most of their moves and Luis Edu a constant threat.

CONFIDENT START

Arsenal, brimming with confidence after their 26-match unbeaten start to their premier league campaign and boosted by three successive Champions League wins before the winter break, began the match the far sharper side.

They should have made their early dominance tell too after only 12 minutes when Henry executed a perfect back-heel to set up an excellent scoring chance for Jose Antonio Reyes, playing his first match back in Spain since his 17 million pounds move from Sevilla last month.

But the 20-year-old's shot from the edge of the box lacked power and goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero saved easily. Reyes had a good chance in the second half too but overall made little impression and was replaced by Nwankwo Kanu 12 minutes from time.

In contrast to Arsenal's league form Celta's has been poor with the side hovering just above the relegation zone and their hesitancy was underlined when they broke through the Arsenal defence after 15 minutes only for Savo Milosevic to take too long to control and shoot before goalkeeper Jens Lehmann smothered his effort.

But after a shaky start Celta stepped up a gear after going a goal behind and the result could have been different had Mostovoi's header 30 seconds into the second half gone in instead of rebounding from the bar with the score at 1-1