Despite some great chances for both teams, neither side could find a goal as Arsenal and Besiktas will travel to London next week for the second leg tied 0-0. While the scoreline is good for the Gunners, the fact that Mikel Arteta suffered a leg injury and Aaron Ramsey was shown a red card leaves them with some issues going in to the second leg.
Besiktas vs. Arsenal, Final score 0-0: Aaron Ramsey sent off as Gunners draw first leg
Wasted chances were the story of the day as both teams failed to convert their goal scoring opportunities.
Demba Ba came extremely close to getting Besiktas off a dream start as he hit the crossbar off the second kick of the match. Ba took the ball on a short pass at the opening whistle and sent a shot from midfield that caught Wojciech Szczesny off his line. The Arsenal goalkeeper scrambled back, but the ball hit off the crossbar, saving him and his team a rather embarrassing start to the match.
Ba was back in the 9th minute forcing an excellent save from Szczesny. Ba split between two Arsenal defenders and volleyed a cross that Szczesny was able to parry away with a two-handed save.
Arsenal settled down at the two close calls and began to take control of the match, thanks in part to the work of Alexis Sanchez who was all over the place for the Gunners.
Oliver Giroud had Arsenal's best chance of the first half after Aaron Ramsey placed a perfectly placed chip right in his path as he broke past the Besiktas defenders into the box. Giroud should have been free against Tolga Zengin, but he completely whiffed on controlling the pass, wasting the chance.
Three minutes into the second half Olcay Şahan made a great down down the left wing, breaking in free against Szczesny. The Besiktas midfielder tried to curl a low shot around the Gunners’ keeper, but he only managed to roll the ball just wide of the far post.
Arsenal’s captain Mike Arteta was forced off in the 50th minute after suffering an apparent ankle injury.
Aaron Ramsey was sent to the showers in the 80th minute after picking up his second yellow card of the match. Arsene Wenger wasn’t thrilled with the call, and after replays showed there was very little contact on the play, his feelings were understandable. With Arteta potentially hurt and Ramsey now suspended, Arsenal midfield could be a bit thin for the second leg.
The Gunners had a wonderful chance to grab w inner in the 89th minute but once again they couldn’t get the break they needed. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got loose in the box after a throw-in and curled a shot past Zengin and off the post.
Besiktas: Zengin, Köybaşi, Franco, Gülüm, Motta, Kavlak, Şahan (Töre 73’), Pektemek (Tosun 88’), Özyakup (Koyunlu 81’), Uysal, Ba
Goals: None
Arsenal: Szczesny, Debuchy, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta (Flamini 50’), Wilshere, Ramsey, Sanchez (Oxlade-Chamberlain 73’), Cazorla (Rosicky 91’), Giroud
Goals: None
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