Malaga and Bayern through to quarter-finals
Arsenal put on a brave display but cannot find crucial goal as Malaga overturn deficit to Porto in Champions League.
Published On 13 Mar 2013
Arsenal became the last English club to bow out of the Champions League on Wednesday despite a 2-0 second-leg win at Bayern Munich as the Gunners lost their last-16 tie on away goals.
Having beaten Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg in London three weeks ago, Bayern had been odds on favourites to finish the Gunners off in the Bavarian capital to go into Friday’s quarter-final draw.
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But Arsenal took the fight to their German hosts with striker Olivier Giroud giving the Gunners an early lead before centre-back Laurent Koscielny netted with 86 minutes gone to set up a frantic finish.
Bayern held on and the 3-3 aggregate score saw them sneak through.
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“I am very proud of the performance of the team… Qualifying is over 180 minutes and we weren’t at our best in the first 90 minutes” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger |
“We went close, I am very proud of the performance of the team,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
“I am disappointed for everyone who supports Arsenal that we couldn’t get that third goal.
“Qualifying is over 180 minutes and we weren’t at our best in the first 90 minutes.”
Much had been made in the build-up of Arsenal’s “Mission Impossible in Munich” with the Gunners needing three goals at Bayern’s fortress-like Allianz Arena, but the guests quickly dismissed any notion this tie was already decided.
“We hadn’t reckoned on conceding an early goal and we allowed them to get into the game,” admitted veteran Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.
“We didn’t control the game and weren’t calm. They gave us a bit of a black eye tonight.”
Malaga became the third Spanish team to reach this year’s Champions League quarterfinals by beating 10-man Porto 2-0 on Wednesday to overturn a first-leg deficit.
Porto led 1-0 from the first leg but Malaga’s 20-year-old forward Francisco ‘Isco’ Alarcon levelled the series in the 43rd minute by scoring with a high, curling shot that beat goalkeeper Helton and went into the far top corner.
Roque Santa Cruz got the decisive second when he rose to head a corner into the far post in the 77th.
Porto’s Steven Defour was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a late challenge on Joaquin Sanchez in the 49th minute.
Source: News Agencies