Home Football Havertz’s late penalty on return to Leverkusen rescues first-leg draw for Arsenal

Havertz’s late penalty on return to Leverkusen rescues first-leg draw for Arsenal

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Whoever runs Bayer Leverkusen’s social media accounts obviously meant it as a joke. But even they couldn’t have predicted that a cheeky post hours before kick-off would almost end up being such a good omen for Kasper Hjulmand’s side. “No corners allowed,” it read in a clear dig at Arsenal’s favoured modus operandi this season, before adding: “Worth a try … ”

Nonetheless, the plan seemed to be working for almost the entire cagey first half when neither side managed to muster a single corner until stoppage time. But everything changed at the start of the second half when Leverkusen’s captain Robert Andrich headed home their second corner of the evening. Suddenly Arsenal found themselves in a game. Step forward Kai Havertz to rescue them against his former club as the Germany forward came off the bench to score a late equaliser from the penalty spot after Noni Madueke was brought down.

Continue reading…Whoever runs Bayer Leverkusen’s social media accounts obviously meant it as a joke. But even they couldn’t have predicted that a cheeky post hours before kick-off would almost end up being such a good omen for Kasper Hjulmand’s side. “No corners allowed,” it read in a clear dig at Arsenal’s favoured modus operandi this season, before adding: “Worth a try … ”Nonetheless, the plan seemed to be working for almost the entire cagey first half when neither side managed to muster a single corner until stoppage time. But everything changed at the start of the second half when Leverkusen’s captain Robert Andrich headed home their second corner of the evening. Suddenly Arsenal found themselves in a game. Step forward Kai Havertz to rescue them against his former club as the Germany forward came off the bench to score a late equaliser from the penalty spot after Noni Madueke was brought down. Continue reading…