Arsenal beat FC Porto 4-2 on penalty shootout to reach the UEFA champions league Quarter final round.
In a riveting second leg at the Emirates, the teams found themselves deadlocked at 1-1 on aggregate.
Raya’s heroics in the shootout shattered the hopes of the two-time champions, as he denied Wendell and Galeno with exceptional saves, while the home side converted all four of their penalties.
This marked the first Champions League match decided by penalties since the 2016 final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Despite trailing 1-0 from the initial leg, Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders struggled to find their rhythm against a disciplined Porto side.
Leandro Trossard equalized for Arsenal on aggregate just before halftime, but neither team could land the decisive blow.
Arsenal, riding a wave of momentum with 33 goals in their last eight league matches, faced staunch resistance from Sergio Conceicao’s men, who crafted chances of their own, keeping the home fans on edge.
The match began scrappily, with Porto employing tactics to slow the pace and frustrate the home crowd.
Arsenal had early chances through Ben White and Martin Odegaard, but Porto, led by the evergreen Pepe, posed a threat with Evanilson’s attempts.
The deadlock was broken by Trossard’s composed finish, alleviating some pressure for Arsenal.
The second half saw Porto pressing forward, while Arsenal had a goal disallowed before Raya’s crucial save denied Porto a lead.
Both teams pushed for a winner in regulation time and extra time, with Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka going close for Arsenal, and Mehdi Taremi threatening for Porto.
However, neither side could break the deadlock, leading to a tense penalty shootout ultimately decided by Raya’s brilliance in goal.
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