Kai Havertz scored a penalty in the 89th minute against his former team Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie at BayArena, giving Arsenal a 1-1 draw.
The Gunners looked set to be eliminated from the Champions League for the first time this season when Robert Andrich scored from a corner kick just after half-time, but Malik Tillman was given a reprieve after he was adjudged to have fouled substitute Noni Madueke.
The hosts were outraged by this decision, but after a lengthy VAR check, the decision was upheld and Havertz calmly scored a valuable equalizer from the spot, receiving a warm welcome from the home fans after coming on from the bench.
The Gunners entered the game having won all eight of their league games, but a lackluster display overall was broken by a set-piece goal reminiscent of their own, when Andrich headed in Alejandro Grimaldo’s inswinging corner.
The first goal came just 45 seconds into the second period, after Bayer Leverkusen created a chance for Martin Tellier from the kick-off, following a superb save from David Raya.
Arsenal had a tense first half, closing in on goal, deftly breaking through and allowing Gabriel Martinelli to hit the crossbar, but they struggled to attack, especially after Leverkusen’s first goal, with Julian Timber heading one of their few chances over the bar.
Havertz’s penalty, earned by one of Maduke’s few quality performers who had a positive impact following the introduction of Bukayo Saka, was only Arsenal’s second shot on target of the night. He finished the game with just six total shots.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Ernesto Poku and Piero Hincapie compete for the ball
Despite their lackluster performance, Havertz’s penalty means they will return to the Emirates Stadium for next week’s second leg as favorites to advance and aim for silver in the fourth race.
Arteta: I had to stay calm.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports:
“The game played out very differently. We started well, had big chances and Martinelli hit the crossbar. We had some advantage but we couldn’t finish the action enough. They were very dangerous in that respect.”
“We didn’t pay enough attention at the kickoff and after they scored the goal. We had to stay very calm emotionally, but we improved by making changes and found a way to tie the game.”
“Those are the details. They have a certain routine, and we didn’t do that, and we paid the price for that.”
Regarding Havertz’s goal, he added, “There are interesting and wonderful stories in soccer. It was really impressive that Kai took the penalty so calmly. It was a big goal for us.”
Analysis: Madueke gave Arsenal what they were missing
It’s unusual for Bukayo Saka to be sent off as early as the 60th minute, especially at Arsenal, who are in desperate need of goals. However, the winger suffered badly. Despite a lackluster overall performance, his replacement Maduke immediately provided much-needed momentum.
Saka’s superpower is the quality of his decision-making when he’s doing well, but Maduke can be frustrating to watch. He is unpredictable and often unstable. But at least it guarantees directness and threat of attack. He gave Leverkusen problems.
The decision to award Arsenal a penalty divided opinion. Leverkusen certainly felt they could not continue like this. But it came from the directness with which Madueke carried the ball into the box from the right, sometimes isolating Alejandro Grimaldo.
Asked about the changes at a press conference, Arteta said: “I felt something else needed to happen.” “Noni is contributing and is also a real threat, so we decided to make a change,” the Arsenal manager added, adding that his influence was “no surprise”.
“It’s a huge credit to him for stepping up the way he did.” His cameo helped Arsenal turn what should have been a disappointing defeat into a positive result in the second leg.
Maduke: I can get the job done in London.
“We came here aiming to win and when you can’t win it’s good to draw,” Arsenal winger Noni Madueke told TNT Sports.
“We have full confidence in returning to the Emirates and are confident we can return to London and get the job done.”
Regarding the penalty, he added, “I felt the contact, so I went down with a penalty. I know Kai very well. He has been scoring high-pressure goals throughout his career. I trusted him 100 percent.”
“When you’re out there and your team is losing, there’s an extra push to take risks. I tried to mix it up as much as possible.
“It was positive to score in the last minute of a draw. We know we could have gotten a better result, but away against a top team it’s a positive result.
“Our fundamentals should be better. We weren’t very good on the ball and threatening the opposition’s box, but we’ll definitely show that in London.”
Yurmand: For me it’s not a penalty.
“For me, this is not a penalty,” Bayer Leverkusen coach Kasper Urmand said in a press conference.
“Sometimes I think the referee shouldn’t blow the whistle and if you check it with VAR it’s 100 per cent safe. But if the referee blows the whistle it’s not clear and obvious. For me it wasn’t.”
“It would have been nice to win 1-0, but that’s how it is. I don’t see a penalty, but that’s what it was.”
“It was a good performance overall, so I’m going to London next week full of hope.”
The story of the game in terms of statistics…
When is the knockout stage?
Round of 16 Second Leg: March 17th-18th
Quarterfinals: April 7th-8th, 14th-15th
Semi-finals: April 28-29, May 5-6
Final: May 30th (Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary)
