Arsenal beat Porto on penalties to reach quarter-finals

Beaten in the first leg, the Londoners made up for it in the first period on Tuesday, before waiting for the penalty shootout to definitely make the difference.

At the end of the night, the Gunners got away with it. Led by one goal by FC Porto after the first legArsenal managed to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday March 12, after a penalty shootout marked by two saves from goalkeeper David Raya (1-0, 4-2 on the tabs). A happy outcome, as Leandro Trossard put the two teams back on level terms across the two matches with a cross shot on an excellent serve from Martin Odegaard (41st, 1-0).

The tension was also palpable for a long time at the Emirates Stadium, as the Premier League leader struggled to bring down a tricky Portuguese team. Despite their advantage at kick-off, the Dragons did not particularly lock down the match, even showing themselves to be dangerous through the Brazilian Evanilson (16th, 23rd). While not forgetting to rely on an extremely solid defense.

While Arsenal struggled to find good situations despite a slew of corners obtained (9 against 1), the partners of veteran Pepe and goalkeeper Diogo Jota stuck to this score. And all the more so when Martin Odegaard was denied what would have been a second saving goal, scored in empty cages, for a shirt pull by Kai Havertz on the Portuguese defender (68th).

Rather than throwing all his forces into the battle at the end of the game, Mikel Arteta was content to bring Gabriel Jesus into the front of the attack. A choice which could have paid off from the Brazilian striker’s first ball, without a successful exit from the Porto goalkeeper (83rd).

Despite the last ten minutes of regulation time being spent, the visitors obtained the extension they were waiting for. But at the end of this extra time, during which the issue seemed to paralyze both camps, it was ultimately the opposing goalkeeper, David Raya, who proved decisive to send the locals to the next round.

For its return to the most beautiful of European competitions after seven years of absence, Arsenal took the opportunity to put an end to a terrible series of seven consecutive eliminations in the round of 16. The North London club is also reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2010. It will know its next opponent on Friday following the draw.