Arsenal cruelly denied penalty by VAR in Champions League draw at Atletico | Football News
Atletico Madrid and Arsenal Draw 1-1 in Champions League Semifinal
Atletico Madrid and Arsenal played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, with both teams exchanging penalties in a match marked by strategic play rather than high-octane action.
Arsenal took the lead shortly before halftime in the 44th minute when Viktor Gyokeres converted a penalty after being fouled by David Hancko inside the area. The Sweden striker struck the ball decisively past goalkeeper Jan Oblak, giving Arsenal a 1-0 advantage at the break.
In the second half, Atletico equalized in the 56th minute. A handball by Arsenal’s Ben White, detected by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during a shot from Marcos Llorente, led to a penalty for the hosts. Julian Alvarez successfully converted the penalty, striking into the top left corner of the net beyond goalkeeper David Raya.
The match saw further drama when Antoine Griezmann hit the crossbar shortly after Atletico’s equalizer. Late in the game, Arsenal was awarded a second penalty, but the referee overturned the decision following a VAR review.
The winners of this semifinal will advance to face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final, scheduled for May 30 in Budapest. PSG currently leads that tie 5-4 on aggregate after their first leg.
Atletico Madrid last reached the Champions League final in 2016, where they were defeated by city rivals Real Madrid. The second leg of the semifinal will take place next Tuesday in England.
