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Leandro Trossard saved Arsenal’s Champions League hopes once more with a late strike.
The Gunners battled back to draw 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Emirates as Leandro Trossard equalized the score.
Reuniting seven years after Bayern’s third and most recent 5-1 humiliation, the hosts were rewarded for their early start with a Bukayo Saka goal, but a number of uncharacteristic defensive errors allowed the visitors to turn the tide with Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane’s penalty.
However, sparkling substitutes Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard combined for the latter to score a second-half equaliser, but the home audience was left perplexed at full time after a strong penalty appeal for Manuel Neuer’s apparent foul on Saka was waved away seconds before the whistle sounded.
Arsenal returned Gabriel Martinelli and Jakub Kiwior to their first XI, while Bayern, headed by Kane, welcomed Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane back from injury.
Despite the absence of strong away support, the faltering German champions dominated possession in the early stages, but Arsenal’s Martinelli had the first sight of goal in the seventh minute, firing wide with Neuer rooted to the spot.
Just five minutes later, though, Neuer’s dive was futile as Saka opened the scoring for Arsenal in some style, letting a Ben White pass run across his body before a quintessential left-footed curler into the far corner sent the Emirates into pandemonium.
Leandro Trossard saved Arsenal one more time with late equalizer
White should have gone from provider to goalscorer in the 16th minute, holding his run and being found by Kai Havertz, but the right-back was not the player Mikel Arteta wanted in that position – he fired straight into Neuer’s body with the whole goal to aim at.
Just two minutes later, the Gunners right-back was left to rue that missed opportunity, as after a cheap giveaway from Arsenal – Kiwior missed Gabriel Magalhaes’ pass on the stretch – Sane’s ridiculous pass inside found Leon Goretzka, who in turn slipped in ex-Arsenal winger Gnabry to finish under David Raya’s body.
Nerves were clearly setting in for Arsenal’s backline, which was sliced open once more on the 30-minute mark by a mazy Sane run, and a light clip from William Saliba on the ex-Manchester City man resulted in referee Glenn Nyberg promptly pointing to the spot.
Arsenal’s arch rival Kane inevitably stepped up, and with Raya foolishly taking an early step to his right, the England captain took a brief look up and calmly slid the ball into the other corner, flipping the first leg on its head.
Carving their way through the hosts’ backline like butter on the break, Bayern appeared to kill the game off in the 36th minute when Sane sprinted the length of the Arsenal half towards the Gunners’ box, but Martin Odegaard’s superb tracking back foiled the dangerous German.
With Sane running Kiwior ragged in the first 45 minutes, Arteta brought in Oleksandr Zinchenko for the second half, which began with Arsenal huffing and puffing but failing to create inroads and remaining vulnerable on the counter.
Tuchel’s side’s pace continued to cause issues for Arsenal, and a fast-paced burst in the 65th minute resulted in Gnabry shooting from a tight angle, although his effort was always increasing.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich | UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals | Leg 1 of 2
Nonetheless, the Bundesliga champions defended admirably, limiting the hosts’ opening and winning practically every second ball, only to be undone in the 76th minute as Arteta’s side pulled level.
Just five minutes later, however, Neuer’s dive proved pointless as Saka opened the score for Arsenal in style, allowing a Ben White ball to travel across his body before unleashing a classic left-footed curler into the far corner that threw the Emirates into a frenzy.
White should have gone from supplier to striker in the 16th minute after holding his run and being found by Kai Havertz, but the right-back was not the player Mikel Arteta wanted in that position, firing straight into Neuer’s body with the entire goal in front of him.
In the latter moments, there was plenty of time for extremely close calls in both boxes, including Kingsley Coman’s 90th-minute close-range shot that fizzed through Raya’s legs, but the woodwork saved Arsenal.
However, it was Neuer who survived the most heart-stopping moment in the fifth minute of injury time, when the Bayern number one collided with Saka inside the box after the Arsenal man was released down the right; the contact was undeniably clear, but Nyberg waved away the protests, seemingly believing Saka had initiated the collision.
The 22-year-old, along with tens of thousands of others in the audience, told Nyberg just how they felt about the decision, and Arsenal assistant Albert Stuivenberg had to step in between Saka and the referee as the England winger continued to shout and rave.
Prior to next week’s mouthwatering Allianz Arena second leg, Arsenal face a tough Premier League home game against Aston Villa this Sunday, while Bayern host Koln in the Bundesliga on Saturday, where their reign of dominance in the German top flight will officially end with defeat.
