Match ends, Arsenal 1(4), FC Porto 0(2).
ArsenalArsenal1FC PortoFC Porto0
Arsenal win 4-2 on penalties
Arsenal reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010 after beating Porto in a penalty shootout following a night of tension at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners went into this last-16 second leg 1-0 down but drew level when Leandro Trossard put them ahead on the night four minutes before the interval with a smooth finish following brilliant work by captain Martin Odegaard.
A scrappy, fractious encounter failed to yield a winner even after extra time and it was Arsenal who held their nerve to go through to the last eight.
Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were all on target for Arsenal as David Raya saved from Wendell and Galeno to seal victory for Mikel Arteta's side amid scenes of wild celebration.
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Arsenal pass Porto test
Arsenal only trailed to Galeno's last-gasp goal from the first game in Portugal, but it quickly became clear they would need to pass a stern test of character, temperament and patience against Sergio Conceicao's streetwise, experienced team.
Porto, defensively marshalled and organised by the evergreen 41-year-old Pepe, never allowed Arsenal to play with their usual fluency and Trossard's goal, created after superb footwork and a pass of precision from Odegaard, was a rare moment of weakness from the visitors' defence.
Arsenal probed but Porto still posed a threat, Raya saving well from Evanilson and Francisco Conceicao.
Odegaard thought he had settled Arsenal's nerves and put them through without the need for extra time with a second half strike. However, it was ruled out when Havertz was judged to have pulled back Pepe.
The anxiety and anger even reached the technical area, with Porto coach Conceicao an agitated, animated figure throughout, and it threatened to boil over with frustration after their fate was sealed by Raya's flying save in a chaotic conclusion.
At the end of a nervous night, it was Arsenal who were celebrating with Arteta finally ending his European curse at home, having managed five Europa League ties at Emirates Stadium without winning any.
It also felt like a psychological barrier had been crossed by the Gunners after losing at the last-16 stage in each of their past seven appearances in the Champions League.
And having reached the last eight, Arsenal might just feel they have learned enough from this tough experience to take their journey deeper into the competition.
Gunners set up dream season finale
Arsenal have had the ideal few days, breaking that barrier into the last eight of Europe's elite competition while also taking their place at the top of the Premier League.
Their dramatic win against Brentford and the draw between their two closest challengers Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday means they top the league on goal difference.
It also means Arsenal have that feeling of momentum to carry forward into the final stage of the season, fighting both in domestic and European competition.
Arsenal's next game is the mammoth clash with Premier League champions Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on 31 March and Arteta now has time to take a breath and regather his forces in a position of real strength.
Player of the match
RayaDavid Raya Martin
with an average of 8.46
Arsenal
Avg
Squad number22Player nameRayaAverage rating8.46
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
8.46
- Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating
8.13
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
8.05
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.56
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
7.47
- Squad number15Player nameKiwiorAverage rating
7.46
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.43
- Squad number20Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
7.42
- Squad number2Player nameSalibaAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
7.23
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.12
- Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
6.10
FC Porto
Avg
- Squad number3Player namePepeAverage rating
6.09
- Squad number18Player nameWendellAverage rating
5.86
- Squad number99Player nameDiogo CostaAverage rating
5.50
- Squad number31Player nameOtávioAverage rating
5.49
- Squad number11Player namePepê AquinoAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number23Player nameJoão MárioAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number22Player nameVarelaAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number16Player nameGonzálezAverage rating
5.10
- Squad number30Player nameEvanilsonAverage rating
5.10
- Squad number10Player nameFrancisco ConceiçãoAverage rating
5.06
- Squad number9Player nameTaremiAverage rating
4.95
- Squad number6Player nameEustáquioAverage rating
4.94
- Squad number8Player nameGrujicAverage rating
4.82
- Squad number15Player nameSánchezAverage rating
4.73
- Squad number13Player nameGalenoAverage rating
4.70
- Squad number70Player nameGonçalo BorgesAverage rating
4.63
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Raya
- 4White
- 2SalibaBooked at 39mins
- 6Gabriel
- 15KiwiorSubstituted forZinchenkoat 105'minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 20JorginhoSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 83'minutes
- 41Rice
- 7Saka
- 29HavertzBooked at 116mins
- 19TrossardSubstituted forNketiahat 105'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ramsdale
- 5Partey
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 10Smith Rowe
- 14Nketiah
- 17Cédric Soares
- 18Tomiyasu
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 24Nelson
- 25Elneny
- 31Hein
- 35Zinchenko
FC Porto
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 99Diogo Costa
- 23Neto LopesSubstituted forSánchezat 86'minutes
- 3PepeBooked at 73mins
- 31Ataíde da Silva
- 18Wendell
- 22VarelaSubstituted forGrujicat 90+7'minutes
- 16GonzálezSubstituted forEustáquioat 101'minutes
- 10Fernandes da ConceiçãoSubstituted forAlbuquerque Borgesat 101'minutes
- 11Aquino Cossa
- 13Rodrigues do Nascimento Galeno
- 30de Lima BarbosaSubstituted forTaremiat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Cardoso
- 6Eustáquio
- 8Grujic
- 9Taremi
- 14Morais Ramos
- 15Sánchez
- 17Jaime
- 19Namaso
- 28Silva Baró
- 29Martínez
- 70Albuquerque Borges
- 97da Silva Figueiredo Freitas
- Referee:
- Clément Turpin
- Attendance:
- 60,257
Match Stats
Home TeamArsenalAway TeamFC Porto
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away20
Live Text
Post update
Penalties over
Penalty Shootout ends, Arsenal 1(4), FC Porto 0(2).
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Penalty saved. Galeno (FC Porto) right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(4), FC Porto 0(2). Declan Rice (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(3), FC Porto 0(2). Marko Grujic (FC Porto) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(3), FC Porto 0(1). Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Penalty saved. Wendell (FC Porto) left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(2), FC Porto 0(1). Kai Havertz (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(1), FC Porto 0(1). Pepê Aquino (FC Porto) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Arsenal 1(1), FC Porto 0. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Penalties in progress
Penalty Shootout begins Arsenal 1, FC Porto 0.
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Second Half Extra Time ends, Arsenal 1, FC Porto 0.
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Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Stephen Eustáquio (FC Porto).
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Kai Havertz (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Marko Grujic (FC Porto).
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto).
Booking
Kai Havertz (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Kai Havertz (Arsenal).
Comments
Join the conversation
Nice to see Raya and Ramsdale hugging at the end. One team!!
COYG
The bonus for me was that it was against Porto, the most disgraceful, so-called football team in Europe!! Watching all their antics boils my blood, as they seem to be allowed to get away with it? The manager is a disgrace too!!
Look at them wanting to fight after they lost!
Porto brilliantly organised and so hard to beat.
However we've gone through and brilliant by Raya.