by David Raya pulls out the stops, so Arsenal keep going. They used every ounce of energy required by Mikel Arteta to push past Porto with a solitary kick and reach their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010. That came in the first Champions League shootout since 2005-06 finals, that Raya was so decisive in the. He made one great save from Galeno and a relatively unlucky one from Wendell, the latter of which was stronger and put Arsenal through.
In situations like this, there could be questions about the physical and mental cost of such a game, but Arteta’s side have not played another game for 19 days. They also have a unique positive to reflect on, having achieved a proper block in this most prestigious of competitions. Arsene Wenger hasn’t even been this far often. Arteta has done it in the first place.
Such momentum can similarly drive their title challenge, in a run that looks full of life and hope.
You wouldn’t always have said that about this 1-0 win on the night. It was a weak link, supporters won’t care.
For Arsenal, too, it was a very old-fashioned defensive performance from Porto that reduced Arteta’s side to this.
The Premier League leaders have not shown much of their quality recently, but they have shown another characteristic. There was perseverance and resolve, and that was much more necessary than the financial gap between the teams would suggest. Porto showed all their European pedigree, drawing on a rich history of forwards and proud defence. It wasn’t enough.
But it was close.
They really made Arsenal work for him. For the first time in almost two months, Arteta’s team did not score in the first 25 minutes of a match. Porto were clearly wise to the approach, wasting time. He reminded Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea against Liverpool in 2013-14, which should come as no surprise as he was one of the best managers at the club. That was complemented – if also contrasted – with some proper physicality. The sudden switches were almost comical. Porto players would go from long stretches out on the ground from innocuous touches to the strongest challenges. Wendell was giving Bukayo Saka a tough game, with Arsenal initially struggling to find a goal. There were already more chances in those opening 25 minutes than there were in the whole 90 at Dragao, however.
All Arsenal had to do was show the patience they did against Brentford on Saturday, although Porto were showing a bit more spice going forward.
They didn’t even have to wait that long, although that came from Martin Odegaard’s presence of mind not to pass in the way the story prompted.
When Leandro Trossard played the ball into Norway on 41 minutes, there was the opportunity to bring it back quickly. Instead, he slowed down, dodged a challenge and slipped an angled ball back to Trossard. Belgium finished with the same incisiveness.
The natural inclination here was to think that Porto would walk away the way Lazio did in the same situation against Bayern Munich last week. There was none of that, though. It could be argued that they tightened up, playing higher up the field. They were still defending aggressively but they weren’t under the same pressure as they made Arsenal turn over a lot more. It was a proper 50-50 game.
Arsenal were also forced into the fray. Kai Havertz showed some of the cynicism you’d expect from Pepe on Pepe himself, subtly tugging at the defender’s shirt as Diogo Costa came out for a loose ball. It wasn’t subtle enough as the referee saw it, ensuring that Odegaard’s bounced ball into the net was ruled out. It was clearly “that type of game” when both managers were booked.
The feeling was growing that it was getting that night. As Arsenal began to press again in the final 15 minutes, there were a series of chances that either went wide or went wide. Gabriel Jesus and Odegaard both went close. Porto were digging in.
That was a reflection of how they won almost every piece of the defensive set piece. That was even more impressive considering Arsenal’s high percentage of goals this season. Porto were again well drilled, to the point where it was the main focus of their pre-match warm-up.
They were still winning as the game went well after 90 minutes and into extra time. The only consolation of that for Arsenal is this break now. Ending the FA Cup might not have been more valuable, especially with how this game came down to a stalemate where Porto couldn’t keep the ball but Arsenal were too tired to do much with it.
Penalties seemed inevitable. Arsenal were without a win, as they lost to Sporting on penalties in last season’s Europa League.
Raya was the difference.
