• Champions League

Arshavin completes Arsenal victory

ESPN staff
February 16, 2011
Andrei Arshavin fires home Arsenal's all-important winner © PA Photos
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Wednesday night gallery

A well-taken goal from Andrei Arshavin seven minutes from time gave Arsenal an important 2-1 advantage after the first leg of their Champions League clash with Barcelona.

David Villa's cool finish from a Lionel Messi pass had given the visitors an early lead at Emirates Stadium, but the Spanish champions were eventually pegged back with just 12 minutes remaining as Robin van Persie ran onto a slipped through-ball to clatter home an effort from an acute angle.

And then, with the momentum firmly in their favour, a blistering Gunners counter-attack - initiated by Cesc Fabregas and driven forward by Samir Nasri - enabled the ball to be played across to the onrushing Arshavin, who curled the ball firmly around the despairing defenders with his right boot and inside Victor Valdes' far post.

The Gunners certainly set out with attacking intent, and were buoyed on by a vociferous home crowd as first Nasri forced Valdes into action with an inswinging free-kick no one could get a touch on, before Fabregas' clever flick allowed Van Persie to unleash the first real attempt of the game that Valdes did well to parry away.

Barcelona can never truly be silenced, however, and they gave a timely remainder of that as David Villa's flick released Lionel Messi clean through on goal. The Argentine managed to chip his left foot shot around the sprawling Wojciech Szczesny - but could only look on helplessly as the ball clipped agonisingly wide of the far post.

Twenty minutes later, however, and with the players' roles reversed, Barcelona found themselves ahead. Messi slipped the ball behind the defenders for Villa, who made no mistake in firing the ball home and opening what looked like being an ominous lead.

But Arsenal maintained their up-tempo approach, and they would get reward for that intent late on. It was Van Persie who proved the hero, the Dutchman finding a bit of space inside the box and taking on another shot from a narrow angle - a decision that caught out Valdes and saw the ball rifle into the net.

No sooner had the Gunners got themselves back into the game, however, then they were capitalising on another Barca attack to launch their own counter-attack and put themselves ahead - with Nasri finding Arshavin for the Russian to place his shot into the net and send the crowd into uproar.

Jadson put Shakhtar back on level terms in Rome © Getty Images
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The away side dominated much of the closing stages, with Alves and Messi both going close. But Szczesny - along with Laurent Koscielny, a rock in defence throughout - held firm, allowing Arsene Wenger's men to head for the Nou Camp buoyed by a first leg advantage and the knowledge that their opponents are indeed a side that can be beaten.

In the night's other Champions League clash, Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk came from behind to shock AS Roma and record an important 3-2 win.

Shakhtar - who won Arsenal's group in the previous stage of the tournament - went behind just before the half hour mark thanks to a goal from Simone Perrotta, but responded almost immediately through Brazilian forward Jadson.

Douglas Costa then put his side in front seven minutes later, before a John Arne Riise blunder allowed Luiz Adriano to extend the advantage further. But Roma would give themselves a lifeline in the match, as Jeremy Menez continued his recent run of form with a spectacular long range effort with just under 30 minutes remaining.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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