Valencia (0) - (0) Arsenal
Mestalla Stadium, Valencia. 17/04/01
UEFA Champs League, QF second leg

Arsenal started:
Seaman; Dixon Adams Keown Cole
Parlour Vieira Lauren Pires
Wiltord Henry

Martin Keown was booked on 10 minutes, for tripping Sanchez as he was about to get free into the box. Vicente's free-kick was on-target but easily saved. Keown will miss Arsenal's next European game.

We reported earlier that Vicente (Kily's replacement) was a dount for the match. Well, apparently he's had pain-killing injections to help him play tonight.

Just before that booking Seaman had to drop onto a long-range effort from Mendietta. It came straight at him, but bounced right in front and Dave got his body behind it well.

Valencia dominated the first quarter, over-running us in midfield and creating plenty of danger. Our only attack had been a soft Wiltord daisy-cutter from distance,

Carew got clear on goal on 16, beating the offside trap, but Cole just did enough to put him off as he shot and the big Norwegian side-footed it wide.

Arsenal started to venture forward more. Parlour had a cross cleared, then Henry struck a difficult chance wide from an angle, after great build-up from him and Wiltord.

It looked a certain goal on 25 minutes when the ball came into the box towards 2 unmarked white shirts, but Seaman made a fantastic save diving down to his right to tip the shot round the post.

Arsenal started managing to keep hold of the ball in the attacking half after 25 minutes or so, and after some refreshing Arsenal possession football Wiltord created a decent chance for himself just inside the box on 32. His shot nutmegged a defender and headed inside the far post. The nutmeg had the keeper unsighted, but it also took a bit of pace off the shot as it glanced a leg on the way through, allowing the keeper to get down to his left in time to save.

Henry made a good run down the right a minute before the break. He got past a couple of defenders but played his cross from the goal-line towards the near post instead of cutting it back to a red shirt, and it was easily cleared.

Angulo's been booked for a trip on Vieira.

So, just another 45 minutes to hang on. Would an Arsenal goal be too much to hope for? If we can hold on for long enough for Valencia to have to start throwing everything forward, then perhaps not.

Now see the second-half/full-time report.