Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal: Alvarez pegs back Gunners

Arsenal had been denied a first-leg win over Atletico Madrid of their Champions League semi-final as a Julian Alvarez penalty earned a 1-1 draw for the hosts in a sport outlined by refereeing controversy.

The Gunners had been rewarded for a composed first-half show within the forty fourth minute when Viktor Gyokeres fired dwelling from the spot after being bundled over by David Hancko.

Atletico had been a lot the higher aspect after the restart, although their equaliser got here in contentious circumstances as Ben White was penalised for handball following a VAR evaluation.

Referee Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot for a 3rd time after Eberechi Eze went over beneath one other ill-advised Hancko problem. Nonetheless, the Dutch official surprisingly overturned his resolution after being known as to the pitchside monitor, leaving issues all sq. forward of subsequent Tuesday’s return leg in North London.

Gyokeres provides Arsenal first-half lead

Atletico had been the extra threatening aspect within the opening phases however didn’t put Arsenal beneath as a lot strain as coach Diego Simeone may need hoped.

Alvarez compelled a superb save from David Raya after wonderful work on the sting of the field after which noticed a header fly narrowly over the crossbar.

Nonetheless, Arsenal largely did a very good job of containing their hosts amid a raucous environment on the Metropolitano.

And so they had been gifted the lead by a dreadful error of judgement from Hancko, which Gyokeres ruthlessly punished with a penalty that had an excessive amount of energy for Jan Oblak.

Alvarez solutions with controversial penalty

Simeone took off his son Giuliano for the second half, bringing on Robin Le Normand, and his aspect had been significantly extra harmful.

Alvarez whipped a free-kick into the side-netting and, after the profligate Ademola Lookman had shot straight at Raya, Gabriel produced a superb block to maintain out Antoine Griezmann’s follow-up.

However parity restored after Makkiele was despatched to the monitor to verify on a handball incident he didn’t see, Atletico’s gamers having vociferously appealed for handball after Marcos Llorente’s volley struck the right-back.

Makkiele pointed to the spot after replays that confirmed the ball flick up onto White’s hand by way of his leg, and Alvarez smashed past Raya, who had stayed rooted in the midst of his purpose.

Arsenal denied in VAR shock

Griezmann then struck the crossbar with a splendidly improvised effort after which noticed his subsequent volley deflected extensive, earlier than Raya tipped over an Alvarez nook that appeared to be dipping beneath the body of the purpose.

Lookman wasted a wonderful alternative by once more taking pictures straight at Raya with the purpose at his mercy and, after Alvarez left the sector with an obvious damage, it gave the impression to be a painful evening for Atletico following one other Hancko error.

Makkiele awarded one other penalty when Hancko was crushed to the ball by Eze, who went down after seemingly having his foot stepped on.

Replays confirmed minimal contact, nevertheless it was a big shock when Makkiele was once more instructed to go to the display and once more modified his on-field resolution.

Atletico weren’t capable of benefit from that reprieve and Oblak was required to repel a Cristhian Mosquera effort, however the Rojiblancos will possible be happy with their place within the tie as they head to Emirates Stadium.