Lehmann penalty hero as Arsenal reach final

Tuesday, 25, Apr 2006 11:15

Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was Arsenal's hero as they reached the final of the Champions League after a 0-0 draw against Villarreal.

The German kept out Juan Roman Riquelme's 89th minute penalty as the Gunners hung on to progress 1-0 on aggregate and will now play in Paris on May 17th against either Barcelona or AC Milan.

Arsenal had hung on for much of the game as they sat back and created little in the way of chances for themselves.

They suffered an early blow as Mathieu Flamini was forced off inside the opening seven minutes and Gael Clichy, returning for his first appearance since breaking his foot in November, replaced him.

However, despite Arsenal's cautious approach, the Spanish side's first real chance did not arrive until the 17th minute when good play on the Villarreal left created a chance for Juan Pablo Sorin but the Argentine hit his shot from ten yards straight at Lehmann.

Guillermo Franco almost gave Villarreal the lead on the night five minutes before the break as he got the wrong side of Kolo Toure but Lehmann again saved well from his header.

Villarreal increasingly threatened in the second-half as Franco and former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan both had good chances to draw the Spanish side level.

However, when it seemed as if Arsenal might just cling on, a long ball into the area saw Clichy make the slightest of contacts with substitute Jose Mari and the referee awarded the penalty.

But it was Lehmann to the rescue as he kept out Riquelme's spot-kick low to his left to help Arsenal reach the final.