Arsenal Vs. Barcelona 2011: 2-1 Full Time, Robin Van Persie And Andrei Arshavin Goals Lead Stellar Comeback For Gunners

Arsenal appeared to be dead in the water in their 2011 UEFA Champions League clash with FC Barcelona, but a couple of substitutions from Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola changed the face of the game, spurring on the Gunners to a spectacular comeback. Robin Van Persie and Andrei Arshavin scored within three minutes of each other late in the game, bringing Arsenal back from 1-0 down to a 2-1 win. Barcelona’s away goal will make the match at the Camp Nou a tricky one, but a 2-1 home win gives Arsenal every chance to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Barcelona’s 26th minute opener featured a great display of skill from Lionel Messi, who played an inch perfect through ball to David Villa. Spain’s joint all time leading goal scorer was kept onside by either lazy or unaware defending by the Gunners, allowing him to run onto the ball with the flag down and slot it into the net, past Wojciech Szezesny.

That 1-0 lead would stand for 52 minutes and for most of that time, it didn’t appear to be going anywhere. The game changed significantly between the 68th and 77th minutes, when the two managers made all of the game’s substitutions. Pep Guardiola replaced David Villa with Seydou Keita, moving Andres Iniesta wide and forward, while Arsene Wenger brought on Nicolas Bendtner and Andrei Arshavin for Theo Walcott and Alex Song.

Van Persie scored Arsenal’s equalizer in the 78th minute, thanks to some poor goalkeeping by Victor Valdes. Gael Clichy’s ball to Van Persie on the left side of the box was exquisite and Van Persie’s shot from a narrow angle was well placed, but Valdes should have gotten his hands on it. World class goalkeepers aren’t supposed to be easily beaten at their near post from extremely narrow angles, and that’s exactly what happened to Valdes.

Arsenal weren’t done there, though. The second goal did not feature a goalkeeping error, but instead came as the result of spectacular team play on the counter-attack. In the 83rd minute, Cesc Fabregas released Samir Nasri on the wing, and the Frenchman took off down the right flank. With the Barcelona defense stretched, he squared the ball across the face of goal for Andrei Arshavin, who placed a fantastic finish into the back of the net to send the fans at the Emirates Stadium into raptures.

The comeback by the Gunners set up a second leg at the Camp Nou that will be absolutely must-see TV. Both teams have it all to play for, but Arsenal will certainly be riding the wave of momentum.