The Gunners were trailing to Robert Andrich’s goal – from a corner, of all things – with a minute of normal time remaining.
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Kai Havertz netted a late equaliser for Arsenal (Martin Meissner/AP)open image in gallery
Kai Havertz netted a late equaliser for Arsenal (Martin Meissner/AP)
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Kai Havertz climbed off the bench to score a last-gasp equaliser against the club where he began his career to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The Gunners, who had topped the league phase having won all eight games, were trailing to Robert Andrich’s goal – from a corner, of all things – with a minute of normal time remaining.
But Havertz kept his nerve after fellow substitute Noni Madueke was brought down in the area to snatch a draw and leave Arsenal as favourites to reach a third-consecutive quarter-final.
Andrich was arguably lucky to have still been on the pitch, earning a booking in the opening seconds for pulling down Viktor Gyokeres after the Sweden international had rolled him on the edge of the box.
Moments later Andrich body-checked Gyokeres near the touchline but escaped a second yellow from referee Halil Umut Meler.
Arsenal were missing the creative spark of injured captain Martin Odegaard and it showed, especially around the edge of the Leverkusen penalty area.
But they almost took a 20th-minute lead with a lovely move when Eberechi Eze let the ball run across him.
Gyokeres laid it off to Gabriel Martinelli, who took a touch before crashing his left-footed shot against the crossbar.
The Gunners had another chance moments later when Piero Hincapie, who is still on loan from Leverkusen, shot straight at home goalkeeper Janis Blaswich.
Leverkusen’s chief threat was Cameroon forward Christian Kofane, who tested David Raya with an early effort from long range.
The teenager then threatened to race through on goal after robbing an uncharacteristically shaky Gabriel Magalhaes, only to be thwarted by the irrepressible Declan Rice.
Gunners centre-half Gabriel had to take one on the chin, literally, when he blocked a fierce drive from former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah to ensure the first half ended goalless.
But after the restart Arsenal were caught cold straight from the kick-off, first when Martin Terrier header’s had to be spectacularly tipped over by Raya.
From the corner, Andrich gave Eze the slip at the far post to head the hosts in front.
It was a taste of their own medicine for an Arsenal side so proficient from corners this term and was the first time they had fallen behind in the competition this season.
Boss Mikel Arteta responded by sending on Madueke for Bukayo Saka – who looked off the pace – and then replaced Gyokeres with Havertz.
The equaliser came when Madueke got past Malik Tillman into the area and was tripped by the defender.
Havertz coolly converted the spot-kick to deny his old club a famous win and leave quadruple-chasing Arsenal in decent shape ahead of next week’s home leg.