ARSENAL DON’T HAVE the happiest memories of welcoming Bayern Munich to the Emirates Stadium.
It’s a year to the day since they lost out 3-1 to the German giants in the Champions League last February and they were gunning for revenge tonight.
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Greetings football fans. Big night at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal welcome the champions Bayern Munich to town for the first leg of their clash in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Here’s the Arsenal team that’s named to start:
Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Wilshere, Flamini; Oxlade-Chamberl
ain, Ozil, Cazorla; Sanogo.
And here’s the Bayern Munich side that is selected.
Neuer, Dante, Thiago, Martínez, Mandzukić, Robben, Boateng, Götze, Lahm (C), Alaba, Kroos.
No doubt about the main talking point from that selection. It is in Yaya Sanogo, that Arsenal fans trust. He’s up front with Olivier Giroud on the bench.
On the Bayern Munich side, injury rules out Franck Ribery while Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller are on the bench.
Here’s the players in reserve tonight.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Rosicky, Podolski, Giroud, Monreal, Jenkinsino, Gnabry.
Bayern Munich: Starke, Van Buyten, Rafinha, Pizarro, Muller, Contento, Schweinsteiger.
Arsenal fans, look away now. Here’s how it went down when the teams met at the Emirates last February.
Okay, let’s get set for this one as the teams come out at the Emirates Stadium. Predictions anyone?
And it’s under way at the Emirates.
2 mins - There’s an early sign of Bayern’s attacking threat. Toni Kroos unleashes a stinging drive from outside the box that Szczesny claws away for a corner.
They haven’t created any clearcut chances yet but Arsenal have been bright and vibrant at the start.
Penalty for Arsenal!
Mesut Ozil is tripped by Boateng in the box, no hesitancy by the referee.
Ozil misses it!
8 mins - Penalty Missed! Ozil’s effort is at a nice height for Neuer who gets his right hand up to beat the ball away to safety.
What a chance that was for Arsenal. They had come close moments before when Neuer got down well to deny Sanogo. He topped that with his really impressive intervention to stop Ozil from opening the scoring.
It’s been really good stuff from Arsenal in the opening stages. Wilshere is pulling the strings in midfield and they’re prising Bayern apart. But no goals yet and they could rue that missed penalty.
Of course Ozil missed it. Neuer knows him too well.
Bayern probing and getting more possession around the Arsenal penalty box now.
22 mins - Neuer to the rescue for the Bayern as he comes off his line to get to the ball ahead of Oxlade-Chamberlain.
24 mins - Oxlade-Chamberlain shows his trickery to send in a low cross that is cut out by Dante as Bayern concede a corner.
25 mins - The corner yields no joy for Arsenal as Bayern are able to clear.
Still deadlocked in tonight’s other Champions League game by the way. AC Milan are playing Atletico Madrid and no goals so far.
28 mins - Half a chance for Bayern Munich as Mandzukic gets on the end of an inswinging free-kick but his header drifts harmlessly wide.
Substitute: Here comes the first change of the night on the half hour mark. Kieran Gibbs is forced off through injury with Nacho Monreal coming on to replace him.
34 mins - Brilliant play by Bayern as Alaba and Robben combine down the left flank. The Austrian international pulls the ball back for Robben but he slams his shot against Per Mertesacker.
Penalty to Bayern Munich and red card for Szczensny!
Incredible drama and huge setback for Arsenal. Szczesny brings down Robben to concede the penalty and is sent off. Fabianski is coming on for Cazorla.
PENALTY MISSED! Alaba hits the post and misses!
Another penalty missed. This time Alaba sends Fabianski the wrong way but his left-foot shot collides with the uprigth and skids away.
The Arsenal fans are delighted. Big let-off for them there. Now all they have to do is hold on with 10 men after Szczesny has been dismissed.
The Arsenal fans ain’t happy with Arjen Robben. That penalty did look soft.
Half-Time: Arsenal 0 Bayern Munich 0
So it’s scoreless then at the break at the Emirates Stadium. Ozil has missed a penalty, Alaba has missed a penalty and Szczesny has been sent-off. Plenty drama then. We’ll be back shortly for the second-half.
We’re back underway for the second-half. Bayern Munich change sees Boateng off, Martinez into defence, Lahm into midfield and Rafinha on at right-back.
48 mins - Bayern are piling on the pressure early on with Toni Kroos driving in a shot that is smothered by Fabianski.
52 mins - Bayern Munich intercept a Jack Wilshere through ball and break at speed. Goetze sprays the ball wide to Robben who surges forward, cuts in and tries to curl a shot into the far corner. In the end it’s an easy save for Fabianski but Bayern are definitely threatening.
Goal from Toni Kroos!
GOAL! Arsenal 0 Bayern Munich 1 (Kroos, 54′): It was definitely coming and finally Bayern make the pressure tell. A period of sustained pressure ends with Lahm squaring it for Kroos to bend in an unstoppable shot. Brilliant goal.
Not good situation now for Arsenal. They trail on the night, are down to 10 men and have another 35 minutes or so to play against the reigning champions. Could it be another bad night for an English side after Man City’s 2-0 loss to Barcelona last night?
62 mins - Chance for Bayern to double their lead but Robben is foiled by Fabianski.
64 mins - How about this for a show of strength? Mandzukic comes off and Bayern bring on Thomas Muller.
70 mins - Nearly a second Bayern goal. Kroos switches the play to Robben who steps inside and curls a shot that whistles past the far post.
72 mins - Arsenal can thank Mertesacker for saving them there. Lahm’s cross was fired in and met by the head of Gotze. The ball was hurtling towards goal but cannoned off Mertesacker and went out for a corner that came to nothing.
80 mins - We’re entering the final ten minutes. Can Bayern add a second?
GOAL! Arsenal 0 Bayern Munich 2 (Muller, 87′)
88 mins - That could well be that for this tie. Muller gets on the end of a beautifully weighted cross by Lahm to glance home a header. Bayern will head back to Munich with a pair of priceless away goals.
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 0 Bayern Munich 2
All over and victory for Bayern Munich thanks to second-half goals from Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller.
That’s all from us, thanks for joining tonight.
