Chapter 109: The Goalkeeper's Ridiculous Performance
Xiao Qing is very confident that this game belongs to the Gunners; In order to be able to achieve more results in the Champions League, Porto must win! Porto are a good opponent, but the Arsenal players have absolute confidence in winning away from home, they don't believe they will suffer defeat after a series of tough games, Arsenal are now stronger under a series of strong opponents, and Porto can only be said to be a good opponent, but that's all.
In the ninth minute, Porto won a free kick from 30 yards out, and Alves' direct shot was securely confiscated by Fabianski. Hulk then broke away from Sagna and went straight into the box to try to get another ball past but it hit Campbell in the Black Tower, and referee Hansen signaled for the game to continue.
Xiao Qing and his teammates felt that the rhythm of the game was slowly being controlled by themselves, and they had absolute confidence; Although Porto's attack looks good now, such an offensive battle is absolutely beneficial for Arsenal, and as long as nothing else, Porto will soon pay the price for their aggressive pressing.
Arsenal's tactics are good, but there is such a joy in the charm of competitive sports as unpredictability, and often when there is an accident in the game, it is a situation that makes people laugh or laugh or be ecstatic.
In the 11th minute of the game, Portuguese striker Barella passed Clichy on the right and was about to cross as he was about to cross; Arsenal goalkeeper Fabianski initially judged that he would choose to find a team-mate in the box to fight for the ball, so he attacked too quickly and realized that the opponent's pass was close to the baseline. He quickly retreated and fell to the ground to make a save. As a result, he made a mistake in his rush and pounced the ball into his own goal.
When it was determined before the game that Almunia would not be able to play. The news that Fabianski has become the starting goalkeeper is worrying. Indeed, the Polish goalkeeper has too many reasons to be uneasy. In last season's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, Fabianski was beaten by Didier Drogba for the winning goal, and Arsenal were eliminated 1-2. In this year's FA Cup, Arsenal were eliminated by Stoke in the fourth round at the end of January, and it was Fabianski who was in goal. And Arsenal's goalkeeper in their last Champions League game was also Fabianski, who was beaten 0-1 by Olympiacos.
Fabianski sent an own goal gift package, and Arsenal fell behind awkwardly 0-1 at the Dragons Stadium! This can only be described as an accident. An embarrassing accident that made Arsenal want to cry without tears. Arsenal might have thought of conceding in the game, but they definitely didn't expect to fall behind in such a way as an own goal!
In fact, it's not just Fabianski, Almunia has been criticized for his form this season. Goalkeepers have been a problem for Arsenal, who have one of the best attacking power in the Premier League, but have conceded a goal that puts them well in ninth place. A haode goalkeeper can be worth half of the team, but Arsenal's goalkeeper makes mistakes again and again can only be the reason why Arsenal's championship prospects have become difficult, and the Arsenal backline has become more fragile at this time.
Fabianski pounced on his own cross from an unthreatening cross, and Arsenal's own goalkeeper had a tradition, having recently pounced Nani's cross into his own net. At the beginning of the season, when defending set-pieces, the opponent's header hit the post and rebounded to his back and then into the net, and the Arsenal goalkeeper was not only bad. Luck is also back, how can it not be changed?
Own goals are undoubtedly very demoralizing, but Arsenal, who are behind at this time, do not have much frustration; Arsenal have experienced many turnarounds this season, especially in the previous games against Manchester United and Chelsea, Arsenal have fought back tenaciously from behind. So this scene is not unfamiliar to them, and even the Arsenal players feel that this is the time for them to exert their strength, because they need to prove that Arsenal are the strongest only in difficult situations.
In the eighteenth minute of the game, Arsenal counterattacked quickly, Diaby crossed from the right, Xiao Qing stopped the ball with the right instep and shot vigorously on the defender and bounced off the bottom line, and Arsenal got a corner kick opportunity. Although he missed the opportunity to score, Xiao Qing also showed a good form and had a wonderful performance in the league, so Xiao Qing was still able to continue his good form in the Champions League. The league is not Xiao Qing's whole stage, if you want to win more honors, then Xiao Qing also needs to have a more wonderful performance in the Champions League.
Although Xiao Qing felt that the players of Porto were constantly pushing him, Xiao Qing, who was very good at Liliang, was still tenaciously pestle in the penalty area; The set-piece opportunity is also a good opportunity for Xiao Qing to score, especially the current high school striker Bendtner is very dangerous in the set-piece, which also allows Xiao Qing to get more opportunities at this time.
Cesc Fabregas's corner kick flew straight into the small penalty area, Vermaelen at the front point did not reach the ball, but Xiao Qing at the back point jumped high; Although Porto's defenders were trying to interfere with Xiao Qing, Xiao Qing didn't shoot, just a slight deflection, and the ball was knocked back to the middle by Xiao Qing's header at the back point, and Campbell pushed the ball in from close range!
No one expected Campbell to help Arsenal score the equaliser, and no one expected the 35-year-old to help Arsenal get a valuable away goal. It means that this is Campbell's first Champions League appearance since joining in winter, and the last time he represented Arsenal in the Champions League was the 2005-06 Champions League final against Barcelona.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger smiled and gave Campbell a thumbs up, while the Arsenal players on the pitch were celebrating with Campbell as they celebrated their goals. Although Arsenal are only drawing with Porto now, Arsenal still feel more satisfied in the process, and they did not have too many difficulties in the process of equalizing. Although if it weren't for the own goal, then Arsenal would now be away ahead.
The two teams returned to the same starting line, but at this time both teams did not back down, and they played against each other at the Dragons Stadium; Both teams, both eager to establish an advantage in the first leg, are in a lot of fighting spirit, and fouls and gunpowder are also part of this.
In the 28th minute, Porto midfielder Mikael's corner kick was not cleared, and Mikael dribbled the ball to the edge of the box and fired a powerful shot that was saved by Fabianski. In the 32nd minute, Diaby was yellow carded for a foul on a behind-the-back tackle. Alves was then unhappy with the decision and deliberately kicked the ball away and received a yellow card. In the 37th minute, Cesc Fabregas was tackled by Fernando scissors on the left side, but the referee did not play a card, Xiaofa took a free kick, Xiao Qing's header in the penalty area rubbed back, and Helton pulled onions on dry land and lifted the ball off the crossbar with one hand.
In the 40th minute, Hulk broke through the defense of Sagna and Campbell with the ball, but was cut off by Denilson near the arc of the penalty area. In the 45th minute, Mikael tripped Cesc Fabregas from behind, the fifth foul in the first half, and Arsene Wenger stepped forward to protest to the fourth official. After the half-time whistle, Meireles and Cesc Fabregas got into a verbal altercation on the road.
The back-and-forth of the first half of the game between the two teams made the hearts of the fans beat violently, and they all knew that in such a fierce battle, it was very likely that they would score goals due to sudden accidents.
The Arsenal players were largely happy with their performance in the first half and were confident they could score in the second half to seal the win. They don't want too many variables on the road and they need to establish an advantage in the first leg. But Arsenal were thinking too much and the second half had just started and there was drama on the pitch.
In the 49th minute, Campbell knocked back on the goalkeeper, and Fabianski received the pass with his hand for a violation; The referee rushed into the box to award a free-kick in the box, and Fabianski dropped the ball back to Hulk. While Fabianski was still retreating, Hulk flicked the ball sideways, and Falcao stepped in the back row and kicked the ball into the door with lightning speed!
2-1, Porto took advantage of Arsenal's successive mistakes to take the lead; Arsene Wenger angrily approached the referee, arguing that a free-kick in the box should give the defender time to put themselves on the wall, so he protested to Hansen, who had missed Thierry Henry's hand of God, but it was a valid goal.
Campbell also had some responsibility for the second goal, he shouldn't have kicked the ball in one more way when he was protecting the ball, but Fabianski shouldn't have short-circuited at this moment and picked up the return pass with his hand, so much so that many commentators exclaimed that they hadn't seen such an inexplicable mistake in many years.
No one expected Arsenal to concede the second goal in such a way, and no one expected that Arsenal's No. 2 goalkeeper would put on an extremely amateurish performance in such an important game. The goalkeeper's absurdity messed up everything, and Arsenal naturally suffered a huge blow at this time; It may be understandable to make a mistake, but the successive devastating performances like this are a huge blow to the confidence of Arsenal's players.
Xiao Qing was also a little impetuous, he really didn't know what to say; The same was true for Arsenal's players, with Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas having been a bit out of shape in the game, not only defending too much, but even provocatively provocative, and he was clearly affected by two bizarre goals conceded. (To be continued......)