Adebicycle-kick earns Gunners score draw.
VILLARREAL - Emmanuel Adebayor's
superb overhead strike secured Arsenal a 1-1 draw away to Villarreal in
their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Tuesday.
The game was only 10 minutes old when Villarreal midfielder Marcos
Senna received the ball outside the area and scored with a fierce drive
that flew into the top corner.
Arsenal were hindered by
first-half injuries to goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and defender William
Gallas who both had to be substituted, as Villarreal dominated.
But the Londoners responded in
the second half and Adebayor's acrobatic effort from Cesc Fabregas's
pass in the 66th minute left the visitors with an away-goal advantage
for the return leg in London on April 15.
"I don't even know how I scored that, but the most important thing was
that the ball went into the back of the net," Adebayor told ITV.
"It was quite difficult for us
because they played some very good football. The second leg is going to
be tough, but we will do everything to get through. We got a good
result to take home and we are very happy."
A match which started at a
hectic pace, full of slick passing from both sides, was blown open when
Senna's thunderbolt left Almunia with no chance.
Visiting defender Gael Clichy
had already blocked an attempt from a corner on the line by then, but
Arsenal responded with Samir Nasri testing keeper Diego Lopez at his
near post in the 18th minute.
DOUBLE BLOW
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
was forced into making a change in the 27th when Almunia had to be
substituted for Lukasz Fabianski, after he failed to recover from an
earlier knock to his right ankle.
Fabianski had barely got his bearings when he had to make a a double save from Senna and then Joan Capdevila.
Three minutes before the break,
it was Gallas, struggling with an injury to his right leg, who had to
be replaced by Johan Djourou as Villarreal comfortably held the
visitors at bay.
Arsenal playmaker Fabregas and
winger Theo Walcott started to find some space after the break, though
it was not until midway through the second half that Adebayor
threatened the home goal with a header.
Soon after, Fabregas's long
pass found Adebayor with his back to goal in the area, and the Togo
striker controlled on his chest and twisted in the air to volley over
his shoulder, and wide of Lopez into the far corner.
Villarreal, who are unbeaten at
home in this competition, pressed hard towards the end with Senna and
Diego Godin going close, but Arsenal held firm and carried plenty of
threat themselves on the break.
Senna told Antena 3 television:
"We started at a good pace but eased off a little in the second half.
That's the way quarter-finals go sometimes.
"The tie remains open. Although they have home advantage now and an away goal we won't be throwing in the towel."
