UEFA Champions League: Arsenal scrapes past Porto on penalties

Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all tucked away their spot kicks with clinical precision.

Arsenal players celebrate after the match. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Arsenal survived a penalty shootout to scrape past Porto and reach the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 14 years after a tense last-16 duel had ended 1-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

Porto, who won the opening leg 1-0, proved stubborn opposition for the Premier League leaders and Arsenal fans must have feared another night of European heartache.

But Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all tucked away their spot kicks with clinical precision.

Porto’s Wendell saw his effort somehow stay out after hitting the post and Arsenal keeper David Raya then became the hero as he kept out Galeno’s penalty to send Arsenal through 4-2 in the shootout and spark wild celebrations.

Leandro Trossard’s well-taken effort shortly before halftime had levelled the tie but Arsenal struggled to break down a disciplined Porto side who also carved out some decent chances.

Extra time failed to separate the sides but Mikel Arteta’s team held its nerve to snap a run of seven successive exits at the last-16 stage.

The last time Arsenal reached the quarterfinals in 2010 it also beat Porto in the last 16 and it will go into Friday’s draw full of confidence that it can go further.

It was tough on Porto who produced a classic away performance with Evanilson twice going close to extending the lead it had taken to London from the first leg.

But it was left with nothing to show for it as its dreadful record away to English clubs continued with a 20th defeat from 24 games.