Raya the hero in timid Gunners performance

Arsenal got their European campaign underway by drawing 0-0 with Atalanta away from home in the Champions League.

It was a night when the visitors were far from their best, struggling to create much and lacking their usual sharpness in the final third.

And it could have been much worse for the North London club after Atalanta won a penalty early in the second half.

Thomas Partey brought down Ederson inside the box and Mateo Retegui stepped up from the spot but saw his first and second efforts saved by David Raya in what was a special piece of goalkeeping from the Spaniard.

Atalanta continued to push on in search of a winner but could not break through Arsenal’s typically strong defence, meaning both sides had to settle for a point in the end.

Read on to see how the action unfolded in Italy on Thursday night.

An important point in our Champions League opener ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/sxNPW0Njjw

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 19, 2024

How it happened

Arteta was forced into a few changes on the night, with Martin Odegaard set for an extended spell on the sidelines, Kai Havertz was dropped into a deeper role while Gabriel Jesus came in for a rare start.

Declan Rice was welcomed back into the starting XI, while both Leandro Trossard and Jorginho were the players to make way from the win against Tottenham on Sunday.

Despite dominating possession for large portions of the game, the Gunners were unable to break down a resolute Atalanta defence and managed only a handful of clear-cut chances on a frustrating night.

The first half was largely uneventful, with both sides struggling to create meaningful opportunities.

Arsenal looked the more likely to score early on, enjoying the majority of possession and testing Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi on a couple of occasions.

Bukayo Saka came close with a low-driven free-kick, which Carnesecchi did well to keep out, while Gabriel Martinelli fired a powerful shot over the bar from just inside the box.

⏰ 30 minutes…

Source link : https://www.101greatgoals.com/football/champions-league/atalanta-0-0-arsenal-david-raya-champions-league/

Author : Mitch Fretton

Publish date : 2024-09-19 20:58:00

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