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The Gunners hosted Bayern Munich in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal and would feel unhappy at not getting a win despite a respectable draw
Arsenal and Bayern Munich battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash, with Bukayo Saka denied a last-minute penalty in the most controversial moment of the game.
Saka had given Arsenal the lead before Arsenal old-boy Serge Gnabry equalised for Bayern Munich and former Tottenham captain Harry Kane put the Bavarians in the lead.
Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard eqaualised for the Gunners 10 minutes after coming on before the home side was denied what they felt was a clear penalty when Neuer appeared to bring down Saka in the box.
How it happened
The match began with both teams exchanging early blows, with Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli firing narrowly wide before Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a sublime curling effort past Manuel Neuer, putting the Gunners ahead in the early stages of the game.
Arsenal's lead was short-lived, however, as former Gunner Serge Gnabry leveled the score for Bayern Munich moments later, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot the ball past David Raya.
The Bavarian giants seized the opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot, with Harry Kane converting after Leroy Sané was brought down in the box by William Saliba, giving Bayern a 2-1 advantage heading into halftime.
Despite a spirited start to the second half from Arsenal, they struggled to break down Bayern's defense, prompting manager Mikel Arteta to make tactical changes, introducing Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard to inject fresh impetus into the attack.
The substitutions paid off almost immediately as Gabriel Jesus set up Trossard for a clinical finish, restoring parity for the Gunners and setting the stage for a thrilling finale.
Both teams pressed for a winner in the closing stages, with Kingsley Coman coming closest for Bayern as his effort struck the woodwork in injury time.
In a dramatic conclusion to the match, Arsenal were denied a potential match-winning opportunity when Bukayo Saka was brought down in the box by Manuel Neuer in the dying moments, only for the referee to dismiss the Gunners' appeals for a penalty.
Despite the contentious decision, neither side could find the decisive goal, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena.
The draw sets the stage for an enthralling showdown in the return leg, with both teams determined to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
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