UCL: Arsenal, Bayern share the spoils, as City, Madrid play out six goal thriller
Arsenal went from a winning position to a losing one, before eventually ending up with a draw in the first leg of their UCL quarter-finals clash against Bayern Munich at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka slotted in a low shot 12 minutes into the game to put Arsenal in front and stir up hope and excitement in their fans.
Six minutes later, Serge Gnabry capitalized on a defensive blunder birthed by poor communication between David Raya and his defenders, to bring Bayern back into the game.
Tottenham’s former talisman man, Harry Kane, stepped up to make it two from the spot in the 32nd minute after Lorey Sane won a penalty after getting tripped over by William Saliba in the box.
Arsenal tried to get back into the game before and after the break, but if wasn’t forthcoming, till the 76th when substitute, Leandro Trossard, bagged the equalizer.
In the death of added time, Saka had a golden opportunity to snatch the win for Arsenal, but he lost the chance following contact with Bayern’s keeper, Manuel Neuer, and a controversy ensued, as the hosts believed they deserved a penalty, but the ref didn’t think so and processed to end the game, admits protests from Saka and some of his teammates.
Arsenal were simply a victim of lack of experience, as Bayern basically rode on the experience. It wasn’t a case of them giving Arsenal a run for their money and Arsenal still has a chance to give Bayern a run for their money when they go to Germany next week on Wednesday for the return leg.
REAL MADRID – MANCHESTER CITY
The other game of the night ended in a 3-3 draw, in a breathtaking showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu.
By Faith Kordoo.
