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One-nil
to the Arsenal
Champions League Semi-final first leg
Arsenal 1
Villarreal 0
A KOLO Toure goal gave Arsenal a slim advantage ahead of
the second leg after the last night of European football at
Highbury ended in a one-nil win.
A record-breaking nine clean sheets have now been recorded by
Arsenal in the Champions League but they will be disappointed
not to have a more comfortable advantage going into the away
leg.
Arsenal took the lead four minutes before the break last night
(Wednesday), Toure slotting Alexender Hleb’s slick cross
past Mariano Barbosa in the Villarreal goal.
It was no more than the home side deserved. Arsenal’s backline
may have been temporarily boosted by a stray squirrel in the
opening minutes but he was not called into action against opponents
more intent on stymieing Arsenal’s game than playing their
own. The visitors were restricted in the first half to two long-range
free kicks which their playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme hit directly
at Jens Lehmann.
In contrast Arsenal had a hatful of chances, a Thierry Henry
goal was disallowed for offside and Toure, Philippe Senderos
and Robert Pires had all threatened.
It was less a case of when rather than if Arsenal would score
and Senderos and Gilberto came close on 39 minutes, both taking
a stab at a Cesc Fabregas corner.
Toure finally made the breakthrough three minutes later after
a fine pass from Henry picked out Hleb. The three combined to
effect in the second half, Hleb teeing up Toure whose cross
clipped Henry but was headed away by Cesar Arzo.
Henry should have done better moments later when well-placed
but his shot was too soft.
Villarreal finally drew a save from Lehmann after the hour when
the otherwise poor Marcos Senna unleashed a blistering drive
but the keeper smothered the shot and Villarreal’s only
decent chance of an away advantage.
Looking towards the return match Toure said afterwards: “It’s
going to be hard but we are in a good position to make it.” |
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