Arsenal beat Porto 4-2 on penalties to secure quarter-finals spot

Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010 after a tense night at Emirates Stadium, defeating Porto in a penalty shootout.

Despite trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Gunners managed to level the aggregate score when Leandro Trossard scored just before halftime, thanks to an excellent assist from captain Martin Odegaard.



Read full article/> The match was a scrappy affair, with neither team able to find a winner even after extra time. However, it was Arsenal who showed composure and held their nerve to progress to the next round.

In the penalty shootout, Arsenal's Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice all found the back of the net, while goalkeeper David Raya made crucial saves from Wendell and Galeno, securing a victory for Mikel Arteta's side. The scenes of celebration were wild as Arsenal celebrated their triumph.

Arsenal faced a tough challenge against Porto, who were defensively well-organized and led by the experienced Pepe. The visitors made it difficult for Arsenal to play their usual fluent style of football. Trossard's goal, created by Odegaard's skilful footwork and precise pass, exposed a rare moment of weakness in Porto's defence.

Although Arsenal had their moments of attacking prowess, Porto still posed a threat, with Raya making important saves from Evanilson and Francisco Conceicao.

Odegaard thought he had sealed the victory for Arsenal with a second-half goal, but it was disallowed due to a foul by Havertz on Pepe. The tension and frustration were palpable, even extending to the technical area, where Porto coach Conceicao was visibly agitated throughout the match.

In the end, Raya's flying save in the penalty shootout sealed Arsenal's fate, sending them through to the next round amidst a chaotic conclusion.

The Gunners seemed to have overcome a psychological hurdle as they suffered defeats in the last 16 stages in their previous seven appearances in the Champions League.

With their advancement to the last eight, Arsenal may now believe that they have gained valuable insights from this challenging encounter, enabling them to progress further in the competition.