35-year-old Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who has just joined for his second spell at the club, scored Arsenal’s only goal last night as they went down 2-1 to Porto in the first leg of their Champions League First Knockout Phase tie.
Returning hero Campbell will surely have pleased bot his manager and fans with the manner of his performance, the highlight of which was his leap above the Porto defence to head home a Cesc Fabregas corner.
Campbell’s good work was, however, undone by two mistakes by young goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski who was playing in place of the injured Manuel Almunia.
Spanish Goalkeeper Almunia was not the only regular first team player out from Arsenal, leaving manager Arsenal manager to pick a rather unfamiliar starting eleven for this vital Champions League clash.
Despite missing these key players, Arsenal will have every right to be pleased with the effort on show as they created many chances and, of course, achieved the possibly vital away goal with Campbell’s first goal for the club since his return.
Wenger was, in the end, lead to criticise the referee Martin Hansson for his impact on the game.
Wenger felt that Porto’s second goal, scored from an indirect free kick after Fabianski had picked up Campbell’s back-pass, should never have stood.
The free kick was taken quickly by Porto’s Ruben Micael, allowing Colombian forward Falcao to roll the ball into a virtually unguarded net.
Wenger, speaking after the match, told reporters: “I thought that what the referee has given as a back-pass was completely accidental because it was a toe-kick which you never do as a defender,”
Adding: “I think the referee also has to give us time to build a wall or else you will never have a chance to defend an indirect free-kick in the box”.
Arsenal will be hoping no such questionable refereeing takes place in the return leg at the Emirates Stadium on March 9th and will also hope to welcome back their injured players, including Almunia, before the second game.
Arsenal, despite the setbacks encountered before and during this game, remain many peoples dark horses for the Champions League title and odds of 10-1 with Ladbrokes reflect this.