Dynamo Kiev 1 Arsenal 1
Bangoura pen 64 Gallas 88
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Last night’s draw demonstrated the folly of depending too much on a 21-year old Spaniard who didn’t have a pre-season because he was playing for Spain until June 29.
This time last year Cesc Fabregas was flying after having the summer off.
Now he’s only playing at 75% of his best level and he’s missing Hleb and Flamini.
Overall, last night’s game was the same old Arsenal. Played well, dominated possession, missed chances. Second half they stuttered, got mugged on a penalty, and had to score a late equaliser.
The cross that came in from the right was beating both Sagna and Bangoura, but Sagna had to stay quite tight in case of a deflection. So Bangoura reached behind him with his left hand, grabbed Sagna’s shirt, pulled the right back on to him, and fell.
From the ref’s angle it looked as if the defender was holding the striker down, so he gave a penalty and Bangoura slotted, sending Almunia the wrong way.
Theo Walcott came to the rescue and Gallas scored a late goal with a hint of offside. When Walcott’s measured low cross reached the far post and hit Adebayor on the shin, the ball died in front of Gallas, one yard from goal. Gallas got there before the keeper and stabbed home. A jammy goal but Arsenal certainly didn’t deserve to lose. Those low crosses from Walcott are one of Arsenal’s main weapons now.
In his interview, Gallas’s face and voice told us far more than what he said. He was obviously very, very disappointed by not winning. He was still playing the game after it had finished. And he was very, very disappointed by the way Arsenal had played in the second half.
When the game was starting, 61-year old Russian coach Yuri Semin was seen just as the teams got lined up to walk out of the tunnel. Semin was wearing a coat, an open-necked shirt and a cheery grin.
“He looks like a bookie, ” I said.
“He looks like a greyhound trainer, ” said Mrs P.
Talking on the Sky round-up of other games, Graeme Souness said, “If Robinho was the real deal, there’s no way he’d be allowed to leave Real Madrid.”
Porto also missed several good chances but beat a ragged Fenerbahce side 3-1.
Zenit St Petersburg looked pretty good in Torino’s stadium. But they lost when the keeper was beaten by a dipping, swerving free-kick from Del Piero in 73. Juventus won but doubts remain as to whether they are really back.
Bayern Munich are back in the Champions League and won with a first half header by Daniel van Buyten from a Schweinsteiger free-kick.
It will be interesting to see how new coach Jurgen Klinsmann does this season. Bayern are a serious club and it’s nice to have them back in the Champions League. I’ve got a soft spot for Munich. I don’t love the place but I’ve been three times and have a couple of friends there. Ribery has been injured but is now fit and he will return very, very soon, I’m reliably informed.
Celtic missed a penalty and drew 0-0 with Bruce Rioch’s Aalborg of Denmark.
DYNAMO KIEV (4-5-1): Bogush; Nesmachniy, Mikhalik, Diakhate, Betao; Yussuf (Asatiani, 90), Vukojevic, Ninkovic, Aliev, Eremenko; Bangoura (Kravets, 90). Subs not used: Shovkovskiy, Ghioane, Morozyuk, Shatskikh, Romanchuk, Asatiani.
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Almunia; Clichy, Gallas, Touré, Sagna (Eboué, 78); Denilson, Song (Bendtner, 70), Fabregas, Walcott; Adebayor, Van Persie (Vela, 83). Subs not used: Fabianski, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou.
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain).