The Gunners have gunned down their vistiors :clap: at Highbury - Arsenal's home for 93 years (This is the last European game to be staged)
The match started with some early bookings..... Matthieu Flamini was hacked down by a crude challenge from Cesar Arzo and this earned an early yellow card for the Yellow Submarines.
But after it there was Arsenal everyehere.....free-kicks,shots shot wide from close range,corner,over the bar shot ,and even a squirrel at Highbury.......yeah a Squirrel entered the pitch but it soon wandered off into the stands.
After all the drama.......when Thiery Henry hit the back of net off a Robert Pires' pass ,he was adjudged marginally offside.Arsenal were denied a crucial early breakthrough but Video replays showed that it was an incorrect .....
But after much attention was given to Theiry Henry's offside.....the Squirrel surfaced again .......clearly the Squirrel was not happy with the attention Thierry Henry was getting and it made a return to the pitch, All this angered the referree Konrad Plautz ,as he had enough of the squirrel and stopped the game and distrubing the play......He goes after it and looks set to give a yellow card for time wasting, but cannot catch the cheeky little fella who eventually leaves the field ......and the play resumes....
Villareal had their chances,a Juan Riquelme free-kick which was straight at Jens Lehmann but The keeper gathered at the second attempt after spilling the first.......Arsenal again started to fire their artillery...with Robert Pires int he pick of the action......but there was another scare at the back for Arsenal as Kolo Toure slips, letting in Diego Forlan but the Gunners defender Toure recovers well to clear his cross.......
In the dying minutes of the first half ,the deadlock is broken at Highbury by Kolo Toure. It starts from a short corner, with Thierry Henry finding Alexandr Hleb and he drives the ball in for Toure who nets it safely to home..... and its a GOAL:clap: :clap:
GOAL :Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal
But as soon as the first half was to come to an end with Arsenal in lead ....At their back Gilberto Silva was fortunate enough to get away without conceding a penalty after a clumsy tackle on Jose Mari in area....
In the second half Villareal tried their luck but to vain,Villareal had the bulk of the possession but Arsenal appeared to content to sit back and protect their lead.Villarreal's Alessio Tacchinardi tries his luck from long range but to vain
Arsenal again had a goal ruled out through the offside flag and again it looked a questionable decision, with Robert Pires hitting the net of a Alexandr Hleb pass.
As the game progressed,Gunners looked like seeing out the final minutes of the game, with Villarreal looking unable to pierce their backline.
As fourth official's board showed five minutes of stoppage time & Villareal had hoped tat would be enough for a equaliser and a crucial away goal......but Arsenal had other plans....
Both Arsenal & Villareal had chances to score a goal....While Villarreal's Argentina international Juan Riquelme had one eye on goal, but fired his shot wide.....on the other side Dennis Bergkamp was denied what would have been a hugely popular second goal for Arsenal when Javi Venta pulled off a last-ditch interception to deny the Dutchman a certain tap-in.....
As the final whistle about to be blown,Villarreal got a free-kick in a dangerous position but the referee did not allow them to take it and the Spaniards were far from happy, but the home fans were after seeing their side hold on to their First Half Lead.The tie is far from over with the second leg reamining but Kolo Toure's goal and a ninth clean sheet in a row means the Gunners are in control.
FULL-TIME Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal
Match Stats
Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Flamini, Hleb (Bergkamp 80), Ljungberg (Van Persie 80), Silva, Fabregas, Pires, Henry.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Diaby, Song Billong, Walcott, Djourou.
Goal: Toure 41'
Villarreal: Barbosa, Javi Venta, Quique Alvarez, Arzo, Arruabarrena, Senna, Tacchinardi, Sorin (Josico 72), Riquelme, Jose Mari (Franco 55), Forlan (Calleja 90).
Subs Not Used: Lopez Vallejo, Guayre, Hector Font, Edu Caballer.
Booked: Arzo, Riquelme, Tacchinardi, Franco, Quique Alvarez.
Att: 35,438
Ref: Konrad Plautz (Austria).
Some Action frm the Match
Matthieu Flamini competes with Villarreal's Marcos Senna in the opening minutes
Arsenal have the better of possession early on at Highbury, as midfielder Alexandr Hleb shields the ball from Riquelme
Play is brought to a halt midway through the first half as a squirrel makes an unexpected appearance at the Clock End
Mathieu Flamini tangles with Jose Maril in the air during the first half of action.
Kolo Toure scores the crucial opener for the hosts off a combination of passes from teammates Thierry Henry and Alexander Hleb, poking the ball home from close range in the 41st minute to give the Gunners a 1-0 lead against Villarreal
Kolo Toure is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the opening goal
Down and out?
Villarreal's captain Quique Alvarez reacts after a challenge which could have easily been called a penalty against the Gunners.
Juan Riquelme is furious as the visitors are denied a penalty after Jose Mari is felled by Arsenal's Gilberto Silva in dying minutes of first half
Villarreal's Juan Ramon Riquelme challenges for the ball with Arsenal's Francesc Fabregas during the first half.
Arsenal's Gilberto wins a header against Villarreal's Diego Forlan.
Game Over
Time run out for the Spanish side at Highbury as the hosts seal a 1-0 win leaving Villarreal's Riquelme disappointed
. Argh.
Precious Rep Points
