Havertz scores a last-minute goal, Arsenal narrowly avoids defeat against Leverkusen

Returning to his former home in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Kai Havertz played the hero by scoring a valuable penalty, helping Arsenal draw 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in a dramatic match.

Arsenal entered the match at Bayer Leverkusen's stadium determined to gain an advantage before the return leg, but the visitors quickly realized this was no easy challenge. From the start, the game was tense with many fierce confrontations.

In the 19th minute, Arsenal had their first dangerous opportunity when Gabriel Martinelli fired a quick shot inside the box, but the ball hit the crossbar, leaving the away players disappointed. Afterwards, the match continued to be evenly contested with many fouls, forcing referee Halil Umut Meler to issue several yellow cards.

After the break, Bayer Leverkusen unexpectedly took the lead. In the 46th minute, from a corner situation, Robert Andrich leaped high and headed accurately into the left corner of the goal, leaving goalkeeper David Raya unable to react. The goal put the hosts ahead 1-0 and added pressure on Arsenal.

For most of the second half, Arsenal struggled against Leverkusen's solid play. The away coach had to adjust personnel by bringing Kai Havertz onto the field in the 74th minute to strengthen the attack.

The turning point of the match came in the 86th minute when Malik Tillman fouled an Arsenal player inside the box. The referee initially awarded a penalty to the visitors, and after consulting VAR, this decision remained unchanged.

In the 89th minute, Kai Havertz stepped up to take the shot from the 11-meter spot and accurately struck into the low left corner of the goal, defeating goalkeeper Janis Blaswich to equalize 1-1 for Arsenal.

The final minutes of the match were tense with many clashes between the two teams, but no further goals were scored. Referee Halil Umut Meler quickly blew the whistle to end the game.

With a 1-1 draw away, Arsenal still has a significant opportunity before the return leg, as the encounter between the two teams promises to remain unpredictable.

Watch Live Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal where?

• Time: 0:45 on March 12
• Location: BayArena Stadium
• Competition: First leg of the Champions League quarter-finals
• Live Broadcast: TV360

Team Information for Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

• Bayer Leverkusen:Absent: Patrik Schick, Arthur, Loic Badé, Nathan Tella, Mark Flekken, Eliesse Ben Seghir.
• Arsenal:Absent: Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino.

Expected Lineups for Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

• Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-2-1):Janis Blaswich - Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich, Edmond Tapsoba - Lucas Vázquez, Exequiel Palacios, Aleix García, Alejandro Grimaldo - Martin Terrier, Ibrahim Maza - Christian Kofane.
• Arsenal (4-2-3-1):David Raya - Jurriën Timber, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel, Piero Hincapié - Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice - Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard - Viktor Gyökeres.

Form & Head-to-Head History Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

• Bayer Leverkusen Form:In their last 5 matches, Bayer Leverkusen won 1, drew 3, and lost 1.
• Arsenal Form:In their last 5 matches, Arsenal won 4, drew 1, and lost 0.
• Head-to-Head History:The two teams have met 3 times in the past, Arsenal won 2, drew 1, lost 0.