Bayer Leverkusen 1 Arsenal 1Kai Havertz climbed off the bench to score a last-gasp equaliser against the club where he began his career to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The Gunners, who had topped the league phase having won all eight games, were trailing to Robert Andrich’s goal – from a corner, of all things – with a minute of normal time remaining. But Havertz kept his nerve after fellow substitute Noni Madueke was brought down in the area to snatch a draw and leave Arsenal as favourites to reach a third-consecutive quarter-final. Andrich was arguably lucky to have still been on the pitch, earning a booking in the opening seconds for pulling down Viktor Gyokeres after the Sweden international had rolled him on the edge of the box. Moments later Andrich body-checked Gyokeres near the touchline but escaped a second yellow from referee Halil Umut Meler.

Source: Irish Examiner March 11, 2026 19:55 UTC