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Arsenal knock Real Madrid out with 0-0 draw
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-09 09:17
Arsenal were gradually finding their feet despite a lack of support for
Henry, operating as a lone striker in front of a five-man midfield that
underlined their desire to keep it tight.
Spanish midfielder Francesc Fabregas had a shot blocked at the end of a
four-man move while the tit-for-tat efforts continued when David Beckham
returned to Highbury to test Lehmann with a dipping free-kick.
REYES MISSES
Yet despite the presence of Beckham and Zinedine Zidane in midfield, Real's
pressure was the more sporadic and Reyes should have done a lot better after
being teed up by Henry's cut-back.
The Spaniard brought up a hat-trick of misses just before the break when
Henry pounced a defensive blunder, surged into the area and lined him up from
point-blank range - only for Reyes to hit the bar.
The end-to-end action continued straight after the break, albeit without a
clearcut chance until the hour-mark.
Real caught the Arsenal defence at sixes and sevens and Raul clipped a
half-volley onto a post and then followed up the rebound with an effort that
forced a brilliant save from Lehmann, somehow tipping the ball away as he
scrambled back towards goal.
At the other end, busy midfielder Alexander Hleb and defender Emmanuel Eboue
both had shots charged down before Henry rifled in a low inswinging drive which
keeper Iker Casillas turned round for a corner.
Real turned on the pressure in the closing stages and there was nearly a
dramatic finale when Casillas, caught at the other end for Real's final corner
left his goal empty. Arsenal substitute Robert Pires pulled the trigger from
just inside his own half but his shot was retrieved on the goalline by Roberto
Carlos.
Arsenal had done enough, though, to become the only English team in Friday's
quarter-final draw.
"I thought we had two good games, and it was another demonstration you can
have a great 0-0. It was a great football game, both teams tried to attack at
every opportunity," Wenger told Sky Sports.
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