Harry Kane made a triumphant return to north London, scoring a goal as Arsenal’s Champions League aspirations hang in the balance following a drawn match against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the quarter-finals at Emirates Stadium.
Despite receiving a hostile reception from Arsenal’s fans, Kane, Tottenham’s leading goalscorer, made an impact. The Gunners got off to a flying start when Bukayo Saka found the net with a low finish just 12 minutes into the game.
However, Bayern demonstrated their resilience, equalizing shortly after through former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry. Kane then stepped up to the challenge, converting a penalty awarded after William Saliba fouled Leroy Sane, marking his 15th goal in 20 appearances against Arsenal and silencing his detractors.
While Arsenal’s performance was not at its peak, substitute Leandro Trossard capitalized on an exceptional assist from Gabriel Jesus to level the score.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, Arsenal believed they should have been awarded a penalty, but their appeals were dismissed by the referee when Saka went down under a challenge from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The second leg will take place in Munich on Wednesday, April 17th.
Arsenal still have hope
Arsenal departed the field with a sense of disappointment and frustration following a performance that seemed unusually cautious.
The Gunners’ late equalizer from Trossard, who has proven adept at scoring goals as a substitute this season, sets the stage perfectly for the second leg, although Bayern will likely view themselves as favorites at the Allianz Arena.
The goal salvaged a respectable result from a performance that lacked Arsenal’s usual fluidity and defensive solidity, with Gnabry’s equalizer stemming from an uncharacteristically sloppy error, beginning with a mistake by Gabriel.
In the end, Arsenal vehemently protested that referee Glenn Nyberg should have awarded a last-minute penalty when Saka went down, but it appeared that the Arsenal forward initiated the contact with Neuer.
Whether it was nerves on the big stage or another factor, Arsenal fell short of the standards that have propelled them to the top of the Premier League.
However, this underperformance may give Arsenal and manager Arteta reason for optimism in the second leg, as they are capable of delivering a much stronger performance than what was seen here.
Bayern show their steel
Bayern Munich finds themselves in a season of intense struggle domestically, as their longstanding Bundesliga dominance is on the verge of being usurped by Bayer Leverkusen, and coach Thomas Tuchel is set to depart the club at the end of the campaign.
However, ingrained habits persist, and the club’s illustrious history in the Champions League demonstrates that they remain a formidable presence in the competition.
As expected, Kane made his mark on the scoresheet and showcased his playmaking abilities, although he was perhaps fortunate to receive only a yellow card after an incident involving Arsenal defender Gabriel in the second half.
Despite their recent poor form, Bayern still boasts considerable experience and the attacking prowess of Sane, Gnabry, and Alphonso Davies, combined with Kane’s overall brilliance, continues to make them a formidable opponent when firing on all cylinders.
While they may be disappointed to concede a late equalizer, Bayern would likely have accepted this result prior to kickoff.