Villarreal 1 Arsenal 1:THE HALLMARK of the truly great goalscorers is often said to be an ability to emerge from nowhere, perhaps when their team is down, and bring the opposition to their knees, to change the course of a game with one moment of cold-eyed precision.
Emmanuel Adebayor might not rank in such exalted company but the Arsenal striker ticked plenty of boxes here when he conjured a magnificent moment to set his team fair for progress to the Champions League semi-finals.
Arsenal were pulled apart in the first half, and Marcos Senna’s swerving drive was scant reward for Villarreal’s supremacy. But with the seeds of revival sown after the break, Adebayor made capital. Cesc Fabregas’s floated ball into the area invited the Togolese, with his back to goal, to control with his chest. What happened next took the breath away. In one fluid movement, Adebayor leapt into a scissors kick and directed the ball over his shoulder and unerringly into the far corner.
Arsenal carried the billing of favourites into this small corner of Spain, where the local town has only 48,000 inhabitants, and they had been almost implored by some of Villarreal’s players to underestimate them. Manuel Pellegrini’s team has built its European reputation on surprising from the shadows. Arsenal, of course, would have done no such thing as underestimate their opponents. Any team that can boast a pair of 0-0 draws against Manchester United in the group stage of the competition, not to mention players of the calibre of Marcos Senna and Giuseppe Rossi, must be handled with care.
Villarreal’s menace was reflected by Pellegrini’s ability to start with Robert Pires, the former Arsenal winger, and Nihat Kahveci, the Turkey striker, on the substitutes’ bench, even though Santi Cazorla, the inspirational midfielder, was out with a broken leg.
Villarreal ought to have taken the lead from Ibagaza’s corner only for Joan Capdevila to head weakly at Gael Clichy, who smuggled off the line, but with the hosts moving the ball slickly, it was no surprise when Manuel Almunia found himself beaten.
The Arsenal goalkeeper was unhappy that the outstanding Senna had not been closed down as he addressed the ball 25 yards from goal; Alex Song did appear slow to get across to him. Almunia, though, had time to track the shot, and it was strange that he clawed at it with his right hand as it sailed towards his top left-hand corner. Regardless, the quality of Senna’s languid right-footed connection had to be celebrated. Cutting across the ball, he forced it to swerve viciously at the last. Its speed was also too much for Almunia.
Villarreal dominated the first half, Arsenal’s efforts to punch on the counter lacking conviction. Their only clear chance fell to Samir Nasri, after neat approach work from Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas, but his first touch was loose and his shot comfortable for Diego Lopez.
Arsene Wenger was undermined by injuries. Almunia had hurt himself in an early collision with Rossi and he could continue no longer than the 28th minute. Defender William Gallas, having attempted to play on after suffering a knee injury in a challenge on Rossi, was also forced off in the first half. Villarreal headed for the interval in charge and their lead might have been greater but for Lukasz Fabianski’s brave block from Capdevila, after he could only parry another blast from distance by Senna.
Fabregas bore the brunt of the home crowd’s ire after Arsenal played on with Capdevila lying injured on the turf; they peppered him with projectiles as he prepared to take a corner. But Arsenal’s captain, playing high up the field, became increasingly influential, and with the full-backs providing width going forward, Wenger’s team began to create chances. The equaliser, however, was simply a piece of outrageous individualism. Adebayor will long cherish his fifth goal of the European season.
Villarreal did finish with a flourish. Senna hammered another rocket just past the angle of the post and bar and the substitute Guille Franco stretched but could not convert inside the six-yard box. Thanks to Adebayor, Arsenal had done enough.
Guardian Service
VILLARREAL:Diego Lopez, Angel, Godin, Rodriguez, Capdevila, Cani (Fernandez 46), Senna, Eguren, Ibagaza (Franco 79), Rossi, Llorente (Pires 70). Subs not used: Viera, Nihat, Javi Venta, Fuentes.
ARSENAL:Almunia (Fabianski 28), Sagna, Toure, Gallas (Djourou 42), Clichy, Denilson, Song Billong, Walcott (Eboue 78), Fabregas, Nasri, Adebayor. Subs not used: Vela, Silvestre, Bendtner, Gibbs. Booked: Song Billong, Fabregas, Adebayor, Nasri.
Referee:Tom Ovrebo (Norway).
