Published>Thu, Apr 01 10 11:24 AM
Outclassed by Barcelona for more than an hour at the Emirates on Wednesday, Arsenal produced a late rally to earn a 2-2 draw in a rip-roaring Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Two classy finishes from Zlatan Ibrahimovic early in the second half gave holders Barcelona a two-goal lead that could have been double figures but the Catalans were stunned as Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas replied in the final 20 minutes.
Fabregas, who recovered from a bruised knee to start against his former club, buried a spot kick past Victor Valdes after Barca captain Carles Puyol was harshly sent off for fouling him in the area in the 85th minute.
Both players will miss what will be an intriguing second leg next Tuesday after Fabregas was himself harshly booked in the first half, earning himself a one-match suspension.
Fabregas, who played the last few minutes virtually on one leg, will be badly missed. "Cesc is a soldier, he's our captain," England winger Walcott told ITV. "We don't know what the damage is so fingers crossed."
AWFUL PUMMELLING
Arsenal, so used to putting opponents to the sword at the Emirates, were subjected to an awful pummelling from the first whistle as Barca, playing in yellow, swarmed all over them like bees with Lionel Messi in the thick of the action.
Messi, the world's best footballer, signalled his intent with a surging run deep into Arsenal territory in the opening minute, signalling a sustained spell of pressure that produced nine Barca goal attempts in the opening 15 minutes.
Ibrahimovic somehow poked a point-blank effort over the bar from a cross by raiding right back Daniel Alves and Almunia then saved a Messi blast with his legs before a crazy passage of play saw Messi and Ibrahimovic both denied by the keeper before Xavi's effort was cleared off the line by Alex Song.
Fabregas was booked for a foul on Sergio Busquets and Arsenal lost William Gallas to injury as they somehow hung on until the halftime interval all square.
There was no respite, though, and Barcelona, who beat Arsenal in the 2006 final, went ahead within 30 seconds of the restart when Gerard Pique played in Ibrahimovic who dinked a lob over Almunia who was in no-man's land near the edge of his box.
Thirteen minutes later Arsenal looked dead and buried when Xavi caught their defence square and Ibrahimovic had time and space to pick his spot, blasting a right-foot shot past Almunia.
Arsene Wenger threw on Walcott for one final fling and the England substitute breathed some fire into Arsenal with his pace unsettling the previously serene, often showboating visitors.
Nicklas Bendtner found Walcott with a clever pass and the winger beat Valdes with a firm drive before Fabregas kept his nerve late on to end an enthralling evening.
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