Arsenal will compete in the Champions League for the 14th consecutive season after their beleaguered side came from behind to record a brave 2-1 win at Udinese on Wednesday. Leading 1-0 from the first leg of the play-off tie, Arsenal were menaced throughout by the threat of an elimination that would have been unthinkable in both sporting and financial terms. In the 39th minute, Udinese’s irrepressible talisman Antonio di Natale guided a header inside the right-hand post that levelled the tie on aggregate and took the Italians to within a goal of the group phase. Arsenal captain Robin van Persie equalised 10 minutes into the second half, but the hosts were handed a chance to re-establish their advantage shortly afterwards when referee Olegario Benquerenca awarded a penalty against Thomas Vermaelen for handball.
Wojciech Szczesny excelled himself in the face of Di Natale’s spot-kick, however, plunging to his right and somehow palming the ball over the crossbar despite the power and precision behind the Italian’s rising shot. The shock of spurning such an opportunity drew the hosts’ sting and Theo Walcott put Arsenal out of sight in the 69th minute by racing into the box and coolly beating goalkeeper Samir Handanovic at his near post. On the day that Samir Nasri completed his move from Arsenal to Manchester City — and just nine days after Cesc Fabregas returned to Barcelona — it was a timely victory for Arsene Wenger, whose methods had been called into question with greater zeal than ever before as his squad collapsed around him.
Wojciech Szczesny excelled himself in the face of Di Natale’s spot-kick, however, plunging to his right and somehow palming the ball over the crossbar despite the power and precision behind the Italian’s rising shot. The shock of spurning such an opportunity drew the hosts’ sting and Theo Walcott put Arsenal out of sight in the 69th minute by racing into the box and coolly beating goalkeeper Samir Handanovic at his near post. On the day that Samir Nasri completed his move from Arsenal to Manchester City — and just nine days after Cesc Fabregas returned to Barcelona — it was a timely victory for Arsene Wenger, whose methods had been called into question with greater zeal than ever before as his squad collapsed around him.