Arsenal left Germany with their Champions League hopes intact after a dramatic late penalty rescued a 1–1 draw against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash at the BayArena on Wednesday night .
The Gunners endured a frustrating evening and were second best for large spells before a late moment of relief spared them defeat .
The hosts struck immediately after the break when Robert Andrich rose highest to head home a corner from Alex Grimaldo in the 46th minute, punishing Arsenal’s poor marking and igniting the BayArena crowd .
Leverkusen looked the more threatening side for much of the second half, repeatedly testing Arsenal’s defence while the visitors struggled to turn their possession into clear chances. Despite controlling the ball for long periods, Arsenal lacked cutting edge in the final third and appeared headed for a narrow defeat .
But the tie turned dramatically in the closing minutes. Substitute Noni Madueke was brought down in the penalty area, giving Arsenal a lifeline. Kai Havertz stepped up against his former club and calmly converted from the spot in the 89th minute to snatch a crucial equaliser .
Arsenal had earlier come close when Gabriel Martinelli rattled the crossbar in the first half, but it was Havertz’s late composure that ultimately rescued the visitors .
A post-match report on the club website read: “Kai Havertz came back to haunt the club where it all began for him as he scored an 89th-minute penalty to ensure our Champions League round of 16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen remains in the balance.
“A quiet first half’s biggest moment saw Gabriel Martinelli rattle the crossbar as we looked to establish a first-leg lead, but a slow start to the second half proved costly as Robert Andrich headed in a corner within 45 seconds of the restart.
“But just as it looked like we were going to suffer defeat in the competition for the first time since last season’s semi-final, Noni Madueke was brought down inside the box, and after a lengthy VAR check, Havertz kept his cool to net from 12 yards and restore parity ahead of next week’s return leg at Emirates Stadium.”
The result leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the decisive second leg at the Emirates Stadium, where both sides will battle for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals .
Meanwhile, the Gunners return to Premier League action on Saturday when Everton visit N5 for an early-evening kick-off. Attention then quickly shifts back to Europe with the decisive second leg against Leverkusen in north London next week Tuesday. After that, Arsenal head to Wembley Stadium for the EFL Cup Final against Manchester City on Sunday, March 22 .
