RELIVE: Monaco vs. Arsenal (UEFA Champions League)

Ahram Online , Tuesday 17 Mar 2015

Ahram Online provided a live coverage of Tuesday's clash between Monaco and Arsenal in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16

Arsenal vs Monaco
Monaco's Dimitar Berbatov, right, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Arsenal and AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 (Photo: AP)

Full time: Monaco 0-2 Arsenal 

The referee blows his final whistle, Monaco through to the last eight on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw. 

90+1' The referee adds five minutes of stoppage time. Arsenal still have a chance. 

90' Arsenal pour forward en masse. 

88' Two minutes remaining. Can Arsenal stun the passionate crowd at Stade Louis II? 

86' Monaco make their third and final substitution. Elderson replaces Nabil Dirar. 

83' What a chance for Arsenal!! Alexis' close-range header is saved by Subasic. 

83' Arsenal make their third and final substitution. Kieran Gibbs replaces Nacho Monreal. 

82' Arsenal need a solitary goal to go through and stage a historic comeback. 

81' With less than 10 minutes remaining, we are set for a frenetic end. 

79' Substitute Ramsey scores a timely goal! A Walcott low shot strikes the woodwork and Monaco defender Wallace gathers the loose ball. However, his poor pass is intercepted by Ramsey who sends a low shot into the bottom corner from inside the area. 

79' GOOOOAAAAL FOR ARSENAL!!

77' Less than 15 minutes remaining before the end and Monaco's defence is holding firm. 

73' Arsenal look short of ideas. 

72' Arsenal also make their second substitution. The ineffective Danny Welbeck is replaced with Theo Walcott. 

69' Monaco make their second substitution. Bulgarian striker Berbatov is replaced with Bernardo Silva. 

67' Carrasco toys with his markers after a counter attack but the Monaco substitute dithers on the ball and the defenders redeem themselves to clear the danger. 

65' Time is running out fast for Arsenal, who still need to score two more goals without reply. 

63' Ozil goes close!! He fires a powerful left-foot shot just wide from inside the area. 

63' Arsenal make their first substitution. Aaron Ramsey replaces Francis Coquelin.

62' Berbatov tries to get on the end of a floated free kick but Ospina gathers the ball. 

59' Monaco make their first substitution. Yannick Ferreira Carrasco replaces The injured Anthony Martial.

58' Arsenal defender Koscielny makes a superb headed interception to clear a dangerous cross as Monaco launch a successive wave of attacks. 

56' Nabil Dirar breaks clear in a rare counter attack by Monaco but he is flagged for offside. 

53' Mesut Ozil's curling free-kick is superbly tipped over by Monaco keeper Danijel Subašić.

52' Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is booked for a harsh challenge on Alexis. 

49' Arsenal make an explosive start to the second half. They pour forward en masse and look close to adding the second. 

46' Giroud shoots wide following a breakaway. He continues to spurn opportunities while Arsenal are in desperate need of a second goal. 

The second half is underway 

The referee blows his half-time whistle 


45+1' Another darting run for Welbeck but Monaco keeper Subasic saves his cross. 

45+1' Giroud wastes a chance with the goal at his mercy!! His tame close-range effort from a Welbeck centre is collected by the keeper. 

45' The referee adds one minute of stoppage time. 

42' Alexis receives a yellow card for apparent simulation. 

41' Monaco are a pale shadow of the side which played a remarkable game at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg. 

38' Arsenal almost score again! Welbeck gathers a headed clearance from Abdennour but his shot from the edge of the area is blocked by the Tunisian defender. 

37' Arsenal need two more goals to cause one of the greatest comebacks in the history of European football. 

36' Giroud runs onto a pass from Welbeck to go clear. His initial shot strikes the keeper's body and ricochets off his header. He then makes the follow up to blast the ball into the roof of the net for a timely opener. 

36' GOOOAAAAAL FOR ARSENAL!!

35' The game is littered with too many mis-placed passes. 

31' Arsenal are still superior but they barely create goal-scoring opportunities. Apart from Giroud's header, Monaco's defence is untroubled. 

28' Monaco's defence clears a low cross from Alexis as Arsenal continue to push forward. 

23' Laurent Koscielny's close-range volley from a free-kick hits the bar! But he is flagged for offside. TV replays show the referee's decision is incorrect as Monaco's Aymen Abdennour is the one who heads it into the path of the French defender. 

21' Arsenal are piling on pressure but Monaco's steadfast defence is holding firm. 

19' A volley by Santi Cazorla is blocked by the Monaco defence and a penalty appeal is waved away by the referee. 

18' Arsenal recover from a slow start to control possession. 

14' Arsenal go close!! Olivier Giroud towers to head a right-wing cross just wide. 

14' Arsenal are taking too long in their build-up ... 

11' Arsenal start to gain possession but they are repeatedly interrupted by Monaco's vibrant players. 

9' A tame Moutinho free-kick is easily collected by Arsenal keeper David Ospina. 

8' Arsenal players barely touch the ball as Monaco make a perfect start. 

6' Monaco have the upper hand, laying siege to Arsenal's area. 

3' The first chance for Monaco! Striker Berbatov lays off the ball to Moutinho on the edge of the area but the Portuguese midfielder's curling effort misses the target. 

2' Monaco moving the ball around well in the first two minutes. They will be keen to score and kill off any hopes Arsenal have. 


The match is underway 


Starting line-ups:


Monaco: Danijel Subašić, Aymen Abdennour, Wallace, Fabinho, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Jeremy Toulalan, Anthony Martial, Joao Moutinho, Nabil Dirar, Dimitar Berbatov

Arsenal: David Ospina, Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud

21:20 Both sides are warming up, less than 30 minutes before kick-off. 

21:00 Monaco coach Jardim makes several changes. Jeremy Toulalan and Anthony Martial were included in the starting XI after missing the first leg. 

20:50 Arsenal coach Wenger makes one change in his starting line-up from the first leg, introducing Nacho Monreal instead of left-back Kieran Gibbs.

20:00 Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim said: "At this stage we're now at half-time and we're two goals ahead but it's true that our opponents have so many quality players in their squad. So it will be very difficult for us and everyone knows if it will be the most difficult game we've had in years."

19:30 Check Arsenal's stats in Europe's elite club competition. 

Arsenal


19:00
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said: "Monaco is in a very strong position, but we have experience, the desire and the belief we can do it, so let's give everything to do it." 

18:15 Check Monaco's stats in Europe's elite club competition. 
Monaco


17:45 Ajax Amsterdam, in 1969, were the last team in the European Cup, excluding qualifiers, to overturn a two-goal margin after losing the first leg at home.

17:15 Only once this season have Monaco conceded three goals or more, a 4-1 defeat at Girondins de Bordeaux in August.

16:45 Wenger is likely to start Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield after they were rested on Saturday.

16:15 Leonardo Jardim's team extended their unbeaten record at the Stade Louis II Stadium to 16 games with a 3-0 win over Bastia on Friday.

But Arsenal have never lost away to a French team, and Wenger sees no reason why his side, who are in confident mood after Saturday's 3-0 win over West Ham, cannot make a stunning fightback.

15:20 Wenger accepts his players were well below their best in the first leg and he knows Monaco are also a formidable defensive force at home, having not conceded at all during the group stages earlier this season

14:30 The Gunners need to rewrite the history books to become the first team to qualify when heading into the away leg having to score more than one goal to avoid elimination

13:15 Wenger's side arrived in the millionaires' playground, famous for its picturesque casino, knowing the odds are against them progressing to the quarter-finals after losing the first leg 3-1

12:30 Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are confident of completing a miraculous fightback in their Champions League last 16 second leg against Monaco on Tuesday

 

Stay tuned as match is due to start at 21:45 Cairo time (19:45 GMT)

 

Venue: Stade Louis II. (Monaco)

Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)

 

First leg result: Arsenal 3-1 Monaco

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