Forty-five minutes are gone in the second leg of Udinese's UEFA Champions League playoff round tie against Arsenal, and the Zebrette have shown they're very much in it to win and able to compete with the Gunners. The home side have been on the front foot for almost the entire half and lead by a score of 1-0 on the night, which ties the series 1-1 on aggregate. If the score does not change, the teams will go to extra time, then penalty kicks if no one manages to score another goal in that 30 minute period.
Udinese Vs. Arsenal, UEFA Champions League: Zebrette Lead 1-0 At Halftime, Tie Series 1-1 On Aggregate
Arsenal have been dangerous in spurts on the counter, forcing Samir Handanovic into a number of difficult saves, but the Gunners have been second best. Di Natale's goal came in the 39th minute, and it was lucky for Arsenal that it took Udinese so long to score. The Zebrette created chance after chance, barely missing on a couple of occasions and hitting the woodwork on a couple of others.
Pablo Armero and Mauricio Isla have been spectacular down the flanks for Udinese and have made the difference in the match thus far. Di Natale has been brilliant as well, helping his team in all areas of the pitch before scoring his goal. However, it's not all negative for Arsenal, as the central midfield pairing of Emmanuel Frimpong and Alex Song look solid.
With extra time looming, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see both teams content with the current result. Both managers’ substitutions will probably be telling indications of their current mentality.
See More:
