Kai Havertz’s late penalty snatched a vital 1-1 draw for Arsenal against Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Wednesday night. Robert Andrich had earlier given the hosts a second-half lead in a fiery UEFA Champions League knockout encounter.
Arsenal arrived in Germany in formidable form, having dominated their Champions League group with a perfect record. Bayer Leverkusen, under Xabi Alonso, presented a stern challenge, aiming to leverage their impressive home support in this Round of 16 first leg.
The match ignited quickly, with Leverkusen's Robert Andrich picking up a yellow card for an early foul in the 2nd minute. This set the tone for a physically intense opening period.
Arsenal sought to assert their control, enjoying more possession and dictating the tempo. However, Leverkusen’s disciplined defence stifled their attacking efforts, limiting space in dangerous areas.
The Gunners’ Gabriel Martinelli also entered the referee's book in the 26th minute. Despite promising build-up play, neither side managed a shot on target, ending goalless at the interval.
At the break, both teams understood the need for increased attacking thrust. The managers likely emphasized precision and decisiveness in the final third to break the deadlock.
Leverkusen burst out of the blocks in the second half, stunning Arsenal almost immediately. Robert Andrich struck in the 46th minute, guiding home a neat assist from Alejandro Grimaldo to put the hosts 1-0 up.
The goal injected renewed urgency into Arsenal's play. Mikel Arteta responded with tactical changes, introducing Noni Madueke for Bukayo Saka in the 60th minute, seeking more penetration.
Leverkusen continued their aggressive approach, with Exequiel Palacios earning a yellow card in the 63rd minute, adding to their disciplinary tally. The BayArena crowd roared, maintaining high intensity.
Arsenal pressed harder for an equaliser, bringing on Kai Havertz for Viktor Gyökeres in the 74th minute. Havertz, returning to Germany, immediately made his presence felt in the attacking third.
Their persistence paid off in the 89th minute when Havertz was fouled inside the box, earning a penalty. He stepped up confidently and converted, calmly sending the ball past Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich to level the score at 1-1.
Arsenal held 55% of the ball possession and generated an Expected Goals (xG) of 1.65 from their 6 total shots, with 2 on target. Leverkusen, with 45% possession, had 10 shots in total, 3 on target, for an xG of 0.88, demonstrating their efficiency.
The 1-1 draw leaves the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie perfectly poised for the second leg in London. Arsenal will welcome the away goal advantage, but Leverkusen showed enough fight to keep the tie open.
