After Arsenal and Bayern Munich fought out a draw in the first leg of the quarterfinal at Emirates Stadium, Harry Kane scored his way back to north London, leaving Arsenal’s prospects of qualifying for the Champions League in shambles.
The Arsenal supporters, who witnessed the Gunners get off to the ideal start when Bukayo Saka’s low strike put them ahead after only 12 minutes, met Tottenham’s record goalscorer, Kane, with a predictably harsh greeting.
Six minutes later, former Arsenal attacker Serge Gnabry stroked home the equaliser, as Bayern defied their dismal Bundesliga run to turn the match around before halftime.
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After 32 minutes, after a blazing run by Leroy Sane, William Saliba tripped Sane, setting up Kane’s opportunity. With his 15th goal in 20 games against Arsenal, the England captain took the penalty kick and put an end to the jeers.
Although Mikel Arteta’s team was not playing at their best, Gabriel Jesus’s excellent work allowed substitute Leandro Trossard to equalise.
Saka went down after being challenged by goalie Manuel Neuer, and Arsenal felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the last seconds of stoppage time, but the referee dismissed their claims.
It might also be argued that the Gunners were lucky not to give up a penalty of their own earlier in the half when Gabriel picked up the ball with his hands after the referee called for a goal-kick.
At the time, a few Bayern players protested, but the referee quickly dismissed their arguments.
This Wednesday, April 17, is the second leg in Munich.
Arsenal’s abnormally tentative performance left them feeling frustrated and disappointed as they exited the pitch.
The Gunners’ late equaliser, which comes from Trossard—who has six goals this season—sets up the second leg ideal, but Bayern will sense that they are the favourites at the Allianz Arena.
It salvaged a decent result from a performance that lacked Arsenal’s customary defensive assurance and flow, with Gnabry’s equaliser an incredibly careless concession that began with a Gabriel error.
When Saka went down, Arsenal angrily complained that referee Glenn Nyberg should have given a last-minute penalty, even though it appeared that the forward for the Gunners made touch with Neuer.
Arsenal failed to meet the standards that have propelled them to the top of the Premier League, whether it was stage fright or something else.
Because they can perform so much better than they did here, this alone will give Arsenal and manager Arteta optimism for the second leg.
SEE: Odegaard Unfazed by Kane Threat as Arsenal Brace for Bayern Showdown
