AfriPulse
Arsenal are heading to the UEFA Champions League final after a tense 1-0 win over Atlético Madrid sealed a 2-1 aggregate triumph at the Emirates Stadium.
It is Arsenal’s first final in the UEFA Champions League for 20 years and it came courtesy of a decisive first-half strike from Bukayo Saka.
The night began with nerves inside a buzzing Emirates stadium, and Atlético nearly silenced the crowd early on. Julián Alvarez dragged a shot wide before Declan Rice produced a crucial goal-saving tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone.
Arsenal gradually took control. Gabriel Magalhães fired narrowly wide and Myles Lewis-Skelly flashed a dangerous ball across the six-yard box as the hosts pinned Atlético back.
The breakthrough arrived just before the interval when Jan Oblak parried Leandro Trossard’s effort straight to Saka, who reacted quickest to finish from close range.
Atlético pushed hard after the restart. Simeone rounded David Raya but Gabriel recovered in time to clear. Antoine Griezmann then forced a sharp save as the visitors chased the equaliser.
Arsenal had chances to kill the tie. Viktor Gyökeres blazed over after meeting a cross from Piero Hincapié, while late drama followed when Alexander Sørloth missed a clear opportunity that could have forced extra time.
Instead, Arsenal’s defence held firm to secure a ninth European clean sheet this season. Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten in the competition and now turn their attention to the final in Budapest on 30 May.
Their opponents in the Champions League final will be either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich. Naija News reports that PSG are going into the second leg of the semi-final tie on Wednesday, May 6, with a 5-4 first-leg win.
Source: Naijanews.com | Read the Full Story…
