Arsenal were forced to dig deep to avoid defeat in a tense UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Bayer Leverkusen. On a difficult night at the BayArena, the London side looked unusually subdued and were seconds away from leaving Germany empty-handed.

Ironically, it was the hosts who beat Arsenal at their own game — set pieces. Despite the Gunners’ impressive record from dead-ball situations this season, it was Bayer Leverkusen who struck first from a corner. Early in the second half, Robert Andrich rose at the far post to meet a pinpoint delivery from Alex Grimaldo, sending the home crowd into celebration and putting Xabi Alonso’s side firmly in control.

For much of the contest, Mikel Arteta’s team struggled to find rhythm or attacking fluency. Their best moment before the break came when Gabriel Martinelli rattled the crossbar with a powerful effort, but clear chances were otherwise scarce for the Premier League side.

The drama unfolded late on. In the 89th minute, Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler pointed to the spot after Noni Madueke went down following contact with Malik Tillman.

Substitute Kai Havertz, who had replaced Viktor Gyökeres earlier in the second half, kept his composure from twelve yards to level the score. It marked the first time this European campaign that Arsenal have been limited to a single goal in a match — but it proved just enough to salvage a crucial draw before the decisive second leg in North London.

2025-26 UEFA Champions League

Bayer 04 - Arsenal 1:1 (0:0)
Goals: Andrich, 46 (1:0); Havertz, 89 (penalty) (1:1)

Bayer 04: Blaswich; Quansah; Tapsoba E.; Grimaldo; Andrich; Aleix Garcia; Palacios Ex. (Fernández Ez., 81); Terrier (Hofmann, 81); Maza (Tillman M., 74); Poku E.; Kofane
Substitution: Tillman M. (from 74); Fernández Ez. (from 81); Hofmann (from 81)
Bench: Omlin; Lomb; Oermann; Tape; Culbreath; Schick
Yellow Cards: Andrich 2; Poku E. 58; Palacios Ex. 63; Grimaldo 94

Arsenal: Raya; Saliba; Hincapie; Gabriel M.; Timber J.; Zubimendi; Saka B. (Madueke, 60); Eze (Gabriel Jesus, 82); Rice; Martinelli; Gyökeres (Havertz, 74)
Substitution: Madueke (from 60); Havertz (from 74); Gabriel Jesus (from 82)
Bench: Arrizabalaga; Mosquera Cr.; White B.; Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly; Salmon; Nørgaard; Dowman M.
Yellow Cards: Martinelli 26; Zubimendi 69; Havertz 94