April 11, 2024
Our house was turned red for the occasion – no away fans were permitted in the stadium – and the Emirates faithful created a crackling atmosphere at kick off.
The opening few minutes were cagey, tense and quiet until Saka injected some verve, winning possession high in Bayern territory. The ball was passed along to the edge of the area to Gabriel Martinelli – back in the starting line up – who flashed a shot wide of Manuel Neuer's left-hand post.
Saka was then crunched into by left back Alphonso Davies, who picked up the game's first booking – a card that rules the Canadian out of the second leg.
It was from the right hand side that we worked the opener. Saka and Kai Havertz won the ball back again with persistent pressing, before Ben White returned it to Saka inside the area. The winger showed great composure to measure his low left-footed shot just inside the far post to send Emirates Stadium into raptures.
Within five minutes of Saka's strike we passed up a huge chance to double our advantage. Havertz's quick pass found White all alone in the area, with just Neuer to beat, but the defender blasted his shot straight at the grateful veteran keeper.
The miss was punished instantly. An uncharacteristically sloppy piece of defending ended with Gabriel's loose pass being picked off in midfield, when David Raya had come racing out his goal. Leon Goretzka then played in the advancing Gnabry to slide in the equaliser.
The winger, who played 18 times for us a decade ago, had come back to haunt us, and pull the Germans level.
It soon got worse for us. On the half hour Leroy Sane burst free on the right flank, and made a beeline for the penalty area. Jorginho almost made the vital intervention, getting a toe to the ball, but Sane carried on before being brought down by William Saliba. Harry Kane stepped up and converted the penalty low to Raya's left.
The game had certainly opened up, but as we chased the equaliser, we left gaps at the back. Sane again sprinted forward, finding himself all alone in our half. As he bore down on goal he looked certain to score, only for White to deny him with a magnificently-timed block.
Mikel Arteta introduced Alex Zinchenko at half-time, looking to wrestle back some attacking impetus.
This was the first time we had trailed in any home game this year, and we took a while to regroup. Trossard and Gabriel Jesus were also introduced, but we were largely forced into shots from distance, with the visitors getting back in numbers, ready to pounce on the counter when wining the ball back.
Neither side had managed a shot on target in the second period though, until Jesus and Trossard combined superbly for the equaliser. Declan Rice won a header and fed the ball to Jesus on the edge of the area. The Brazilian did brilliantly to control, hold the ball up the roll it into the path of Trossard, who made no mistake with a first-time finish.
The Emirates found its voice again, looking for a grandstand finish, but it was the Germans who
By Arsenal
