David Raya saved two penalties to ensure Arsenal’s 4-2 triumph over Porto in a shootout on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium.
The Premier League leaders were trailing 1-0 from the first leg against a disciplined Porto side, and needed a result to guarantee them a quarter-final berth.
On stepped Leandro Trossard who pulled the Gunners level shortly before half-time – after a brilliant through ball by skipper Martin Odegaard completely bamboozled the Porto defense- for the Belgian to coolly slot the ball in the bottom corner.
Sergio Conceicao’s men would frustrate the hosts for long spells of the match, fashioning enough chances of their own to make it a nervy night for the North London Club.
Both sides struggled to settle in a scrappy opening period, with Porto doing their best to slow the game by taking their time with throw-ins and goal kicks, to the visible and audible frustration of the home crowd.
The home side were more dangerous in the early stages of extra-time but Porto remained a threat on the break, but neither side could find a winner and it went to penalties.
All four of Arsenal’s penalty takers were faultless, but Raya dived full stretch to deny Wendell and repeated the feat against Galeno.
This was the first time a Champions league match has been decided on penalties since Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid in 2016.
The quarter-final draw will be done on Friday.
