Gyokeres and Alvarez exchange penalties in Madrid as VAR denies Arsenal a late winner
The first leg of Atletico Madrid against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals turned on three penalty shouts in the Metropolitano on Wednesday night, and finished honours even at 1-1.
Mikel Arteta's side led just before the break. David Hancko bundled Viktor Gyokeres over inside the box, Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot, and Gyokeres stepped up and beat Jan Oblak in the 44th minute. The Sweden striker has had stretches of this season where the finishing has not come, but he keeps finding the moments that matter.
Alvarez levels from the spot
Atletico hit back early in the second half. Marcos Llorente's shot struck Ben White on the arm, and after a VAR check Makkelie pointed to the spot again. Julian Alvarez planted the equaliser into the top-left corner past a static David Raya in the 56th minute. The Argentine has been Diego Simeone's most reliable attacker in this competition all season, and his finish kept Atletico in a tie they had felt they were the better side in for stretches.
Antoine Griezmann had earlier rattled the crossbar with the kind of strike Atletico used to score in their sleep. The home side felt they should have led on chances created.
Eze decision overturned
The third penalty incident is the one Arsenal will want back. Eberechi Eze went down under another Hancko challenge inside the box in the 78th minute and Makkelie pointed straight to the spot. He was then sent to the monitor, watched the replay, and waved play on. The contact, in his view, had not been enough.
Arteta will take a draw and an away goal back to north London. Atletico's record at the Emirates is poor, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were both excellent in front of Raya at the Metropolitano, and Arsenal will fancy their chances at full strength next Tuesday. Simeone will look at his side's half-chances and feel they should be heading to England with a lead. Instead they go with a draw, an away goal of their own, and a knockout tie that is now genuinely 50-50.
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