Bittersweet end to an incredible match (2-2)

Bittersweet end to an incredible match (2-2)

After a stunning first half performance from Barça had ended goalless, two goals from Ibrahimovic looked to have sealed a convincing win at the Emirates. But two late Arsenal goals from Walcott and Fabregas meant it ended all square on a great night.

The first quarter of an hour saw the Catalans produce a lesson in football that left the Emirates Stadium in an almost silent daze. An almost eerie silence fell over the stadium, with the only noise coming from the 3,000 travelling fans as Barça produced nine shots, five of which were on target, in fifteen minutes of brilliance, while the Arsenal players seemed little more than eleven more spectators. Barça could easily have been three up in that time, had not been for some simply outstanding goalkeeping from Manuel Almunia, including three seemingly impossible interventions when Xavi, Messi and Ibrahimoviz all saw point blank chances thwarted.

It took Arsenal 20 minutes before Nasri finally produced a shy attempt on Valdés’ goal, and as the half moved on, the Gunners slowly started finding their feet. But if it wasn’t bad enough for Arsene Wenger to see his young side so totally outclassed on their home turf, he soon had new problems to contend with. First Russian striker Arshavin hobbled off, then William Gallas called for a change too, and next his captain Cesc Fabregas was somewhat harshly yellow carded, meaning the Catalan will be suspended for his long awaited return to the club that discovered him. Yet despite all of that, Arsenal had managed to hold on, and it was 0-0 at the break.



Ibra bags a brace

It didn’t stay that way for long. Within 30 seconds of the restart, the previously impeccable Almunia was caught way off his line, and Ibrahimovic brilliantly lobbed him to put FCB into a more than thoroughly deserved lead. 12 minutes later and the same man silenced his recent critics in splendid style by making it two. The Swede cleverly broke the offside trap trademark to latch onto the end of a trademark Xavi pass, and deftly sent the ball into the top right hand corner of the net. 2-0, and game over. Or so it seemed.

Arsenal pull one back
Pique was yellow carded shortly after the second goal, but at the time it hardly seemed to matter that he will miss the return leg, as it left him with a clean sheet for what now looked like an inevitable semi final to follow. But then, just moments after coming on, Theo Walcott turned Maxwell on the edge of the area and followed that with a brilliant run that he ended by slipping the ball under Valdés’ body.

The goal suddenly brought a glimmer of hope back to the devastated home side, but in the meantime, there was time for a standing ovation in honour of Thierry Henry as he returned to the club where he spent eight glittering years.



Red card and penalty

Barça were still in total control of possession, but other than a Messi one on one with Almunia, the chances weren’t flowing anything like they were in the first half. And then disaster struck in the 83rd minute. Cesc was through on goal, but Carles Puyol managed to get a foot in the way. The referee deemed that that was not only worthy of being penalised with a penalty, but with a red card too.

The Catalan coolly converted the equaliser from the spot, but spent the remainder of the game hobbling around with an injury, yet unable to come off because Wenger had already made his three changes. The minutes ticked by to bring an end to a night in which Barça produced the kind of display this new stadium is unlikely to have witnessed before, and one in which the home supporters were almost incredulous that they’d come out of it with a draw. There is still everything to play for when the action resumes at the Camp Nou next week.