Arsenal FC needed a late penalty from Kai Havertz to secure a 1–1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday.
The result ended the English side’s eight-game winning run in the competition.
Andrich Gives Leverkusen the Lead
The hosts took the lead early in the second half when Robert Andrich headed home from a corner in the 46th minute.
The goal marked the first time this season that Arsenal had fallen behind in Europe after dominating the opening stages of the match.
Arsenal Start Brightly
Arsenal had started strongly, with Gabriel Martinelli striking the crossbar with a powerful effort in the 19th minute.
However, Leverkusen gradually settled into the game, with forward Christian Kofane posing a constant threat to the visitors’ defence.
Arteta Turns to His Bench
Manager Mikel Arteta attempted to change the momentum in the second half by introducing substitutes including Noni Madueke and Havertz.
Arsenal came close to equalising in the 85th minute when Jurriën Timber headed over from close range.
Later on, Madueke was brought down in the penalty area after contact with Malik Tillman.
Havertz Levels Late From the Spot
Following a lengthy VAR review, Havertz calmly converted the spot kick in the 89th minute to level the score against his former club.
The result leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg in London next Tuesday.
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