Arsenal and Bayern Munich served up an epic 2-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw at the Emirates as home substitute Leandro Trossard struck late on to earn the Premier League leaders a breathless draw.
Bukayo Saka swerved home a brilliant opener on 12 minutes for the home side before the struggling German champions – who are 16 points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga – hit back strongly as Serge Gnabry punished some poor defending to equalise with an opportunistic finish on 18 minutes.
And Thomas Tuchel’s side moved ahead when England captain Harry Kane coolly converted a penalty on 32 minutes after Leroy Sane was sent spinning to the deck by William Saliba after a brilliant surging run.
Bayern looked in command ahead of the second leg in Munich next Wednesday, but Mikel Arteta’s side rescued a draw on 76 minutes when Trossard accepted an excellent pass from fellow substitute Gabriel Jesus to drive the ball low and hard into the net.
The tie is well in the balance with the winners meeting Real Madrid or holders Manchester City in the last four.
Match Highlights
12′ GOAL! (SAKA) ARSENAL 1-0 BAYERN MUNICH What a dream start to the night for the home side as Saka curls a brilliant finish low into the corner of the net from the Ben White pass inside the visiting area. Boom! Take that. No chance for Neuer.
18′ GOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 BAYERN MUNICH (GNABRY) Lovely finish as Bayern punish some poor home defending for the visitors to level us up at 1-1. Leon Goretzka with the pass and lovely finish from Gnabry racing in on goal. Game on.
30′ GOAL! ARSENAL 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH (KANE) Well, it was written in the stars as Harry Kane steps up to pass the ball low into the corner of the net with Raya diving to his right. That is remarkable. Bayern looked all over the show, but suddenly disbelief around the Emirates. 2-1 to the visitors.
76′ GOAL! (TROSSARD) ARSENAL 2-2 BAYERN MUNICH Well, never a dull moment in the UEFA Champions League. Gabriel Jesus with some blistering play to provide the space and square pass for Trossard to smash the ball low and hard into the Bayern net. And suddenly Arsenal are back in business at 2-2. Phew!
90+1′ ALMOST THE WINNER FOR BAYERN Well, how close is that as the close-range finish from Coman hits an Arsenal post via a foot of Raya. Into five added minutes.
90+5′ LATE DRAMA AS FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS! Neuer races out to meet Saka, who goes to ground. Wild appeals for a penalty, but it looks like Saka ran into the knee of the Bayern keeper. And the final whistle sounds. Looks like that was the right call in the replays. It ends 2-2 after the first leg. What a match.