Arsenal edge out Porto on penalties to reach UCL quarters, Barcelona beats Napoli
Wednesday March 13 2024
Arsenal players celebrate after beating FC Porto on penalties during their second leg of Uefa Champions League at Emirates Stadium in London, Britain on March 12, 2024. PHOTO | REUTERS
Arsenal survived a penalty shootout to scrape past Porto and reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the first time in 14 years after a tense last-16 duel had ended 1-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.
The hosts coolly converted their first four penalties with Porto's Wendell hitting the post before David Raya saved Galeno's effort to send Arsenal through 4-2 in the shootout after the match finished 1-0 to the London club after extra time.
Leandro Trossard's effort levelled the contest on aggregate shortly before halftime, but Premier League leaders Arsenal was frustrated by the Portuguese side.
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Extra time failed to separate the sides but Mike Arteta's team held their nerve to snap a run of seven successive exits at the last-16 stage.
Barcelona on the other hand reached the UCL quarterfinals for the first time in four years after a thrilling 3-1 home win over Napoli in their last-16 second leg gave them a deserved 4-2 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
Early goals by Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo set the hosts on their way and, after Amir Rrahmani cut the deficit before the break, Robert Lewandowski wrapped up the win with a late third.
Napoli had never beaten Barcelona in their previous five meetings and it turned out to be a repeat of the 2020 Champions League meeting with a 3-1 home win for the Spanish side after a 1-1 draw in Naples.
That was the last time the Catalans had won a knockout stage game in the competition and their most recent qualification for the last eight.