Arsenal 2-2 Bayern: Honours even heading to Munich after thrilling first leg

Arsenal and Bayern will start the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie on level terms following an enthralling 2-2 draw in north London.

Match in brief: Fine finishing from both sides

Gabriel Martinelli's early shot may have served warning of Arsenal's intent, but there was little Bayern could do when Saka honed in on the target after 12 minutes. The England winger allowed Ben White's cute pass inside to run beyond him, turned and curled in a delightful first-time finish.

White nearly doubled the hosts' lead only to be thwarted by Manuel Neuer, and two minutes later Bayern were level. Leon Goretzka provided the perfectly-weighted through ball and former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry – on the slide – supplied the finish through David Raya's legs.

Serge Gnabry celebrates his equaliser for BayernFC Bayern via Getty Images

The visitors completed their turnaround just after the half-hour, Harry Kane sending Raya the wrong way with a penalty. The England captain may have done the deed from the spot, but Leroy Sané's scintillating run which led to the kick being awarded warrants credit all of its own.

Thomas Tuchel's side looked to have the Gunners at arm's length for much of the second half, until substitute Leandro Trossard once again showed his predatory instincts soon after coming on, side-footing his first-time finish into the bottom corner. Kudos to Gabriel Jesus for the set-up play on this occasion.

Kingsley Coman almost restored Bayern's advantage in the first minute of added time, but his instinctive jab at a cross from the left came back off the woodwork. Honours even heading to Munich.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal)

"He was very influential during the game and created a lot of doubt in the Bayern defence along with Saka and White on the right side. Good tempo with the ball and also helped the team in their pressing."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Joe Terry, Arsenal reporter

It's a measure of Arsenal's progress under Mikel Arteta that at half-time they were able to identify and fix the defensive issues they had in the opening period. The result was arguably a team that played with more restraint in the second half, but they patiently worked themselves back into the game and got their reward with the equaliser. If they show the same kind of maturity and presence of mind in eight days' time, they have every chance of a semi-final.

James Thorogood, Bayern reporter

Tuchel said Bayern would have to produce "two top displays" to advance to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in four seasons. After a turbulent first 15 minutes in London, he got the first of those as his charges showed character in coming from behind to secure a positive outcome that means it's all to play for next week. An impressive result on a night when Kane further embellished one of the all-time greatest seasons by an Englishman abroad.

Reaction 

Leandro Trossard, Arsenal forward: "We're not pleased but when you are 2-1 down at half-time you will take a draw at the end. We started so well, we could have scored two or three goals after taking the lead. You can see what kind of quality Bayern have to hurt us."

Harry Kane, Bayern striker: "It wasn't an easy game. Arsenal are a really good team. They're top of the Premier League right now so we had to dig deep at times, but it's a good result and hopefully we can make the difference at home."

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach: "We scored a really good goal and, straight after that, it was a different match. This is the Champions League: if you make mistakes, you get punished. I have a lot of belief we can go there and beat them. We have to prepare really well."

Thomas Tuchel, Bayern coach: "I think we could have won it at the end, we had the huge chance with Kingsley [Coman]. It was a tough night against a very good opponent. The fans were really behind Arsenal, the result is okay."

Key stats

• Arsenal have never lost the first leg in a Champions League quarter-final tie (W2 D5).
• Trossard's equaliser was Arsenal's 300th Champions League goal, group stage to final.
• Trossard has scored in all four home appearances for Arsenal in this season's Champions League.
• Arsenal had won all four Champions League home games this season prior to the Bayern first leg, scoring 13 goals and conceding none.
• Kane has now scored in each of the last ten seasons against Arsenal, racking up a total of 15 goals in 20 matches against them.
• Bayern had lost the first leg in each of their last three Champions League quarter-final ties.

Bukayo Saka and Alphonso Davies vie for possessionArsenal FC via Getty Images

Fantasy star performers

Serge Gnabry: 7 points
Bukayo Saka: 7 points
Leon Goretzka: 6 points
Leandro Trossard: 6 points

Line-ups

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior (Zinchenko 46); Ødegaard, Jorginho (Jesus 66), Rice; Saka, Havertz (Partey 86), Martinelli (Trossard 66)

Bayern: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, De Ligt, Davies; Laimer, Goretzka; Sané (Coman 66), Musiala, Gnabry (Guerreiro 70); Kane