Arsenal were undone by a combination of goalkeeping errors and some questionable decisions from the referee in the Champions League last night.
They lost 2-1 to FC Porto in their Champions League First Knockout Round First Leg, with many Gunners fans likely to point the finger of blame for the defeat at Lukasz Fabianski and Martin Hansson.
After 11 minutes Polish goalkeeper Fabianski gifted Porto the lead at Estadio do Dragao.
Silvestre Varela got past Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy and hit a low, hard cross from the right.
But Fabianski somehow got his angles all wrong and turned the ball into his own net.
The unlikely scorer of Arsenal’s equaliser was Sol Campbell, making his first European appearance for the Gunners since the 2006 Champions League final loss to Barcelona- incidentally a game in which he also scored his last goal for the club.
Defender Campbell got on the end of a free kick from Cesc Fabregas- which was headed on by both Thomas Vermaelen and Tomas Rosicky- to level the tie.
But 7 minutes into the second half Porto were controversially in front again.
And Ref Martin Hansson, the man who inexplicably failed to spot Thierry Henry’s handball during Ireland’s World Cup play-off loss to France last November, was at the centre of it.
Fabianski picked up a back-pass in his own box from Campbell.
Hansson gave an indirect free-kick, but let the Portuguese side take it quickly, catching Arsenal’s defenders out.
The Swedish official also seemed to get in Campbell’s way, making it easier for Falcao to score what ultimately proved to the be the winner on the night.
Bayern Munich also profitted from dodgy refereeing in the night’s other last 16 clash.
Ref Tom Henning Ovrebo, who officiated Chelsea’s controversial semi final exit to Barcelona last season, incorrectly sent off Fiorentina’s Massimo Gobbi, while letting Bayern striker Miroslav Klose away with a more dangerous challenge.
And it was Klose who benefitted from more of Ovrebo’s inaction.
The German striker was at least two yards offside when he headed in the winner in the last minute, handing Bayern a 2-1 win over the Italians at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Elsewhere last night Wigan and Bolton played out a 0-0 draw in the Premier League at the DW Stadium.
That result leaves Bolton in the relegation zone, while the Latics move up to 14th.
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