Arsenal book Champions League final spot
by Kickoff Reporter · KickOffArsenal booked their spot in the final of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Atletico Madrid 1-0 in their semi-final second leg on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners were unchanged following the win over Fulham, while Atletico summoned in Robin Le Normand for Johnny Cardoso as the only switch from the first-leg.
Atletico unleashed the first threat on eight minutes when Julian Alvarez made a late run in the box and tucked wide of the bottom-corner following a cross by Giuliano Simeone.
There was a shift in momentum moments apart after Declan Rice looped a telling ball in-behind for Bukayo Saka who took it under control and arrowed off the side-netting.
Arsenal enjoyed complete control at this juncture and made a number of notable penetrations in the wide channels, but the final deliveries lacked efficacy.
Saka brought the home crowd to raptures on the cusp of the break when he pounced on a rebound in the box stabbed in the near corner after Jan Oblak did well to keep out Leandro Trossard's strike.
Mikel Arteta’s charges made a decent start to the second half – buoyed by the slender advantage, although the LaLiga giants maintained their comeback aspirations when Giuliano Simeone squandered a big chance just before the hour mark.
Arteta refreshed the Gunners personnel just over ten minutes gone where Martin Odegaard, Piero Hincapie, and Noni Madueke came on for Riccardo Calafiori, Eberechi Eze and Saka.
Swede Viktor Gyokeres, boosted by a weekend double, came close to extending their lead in the middle of the second period with a side-foot attempt, but he shaved the woodwork.
Atletico kept pushing for a way back as the minutes went, but the resistance of the Gunners became a tall order on their path as the English outfit advanced to their first final since 2006.