Arsenal 0-0 AC Milan: Adebayor fluffs big chance
For long spells, Arsenal made European Cup holders AC Milan look ordinary at Emirates Stadium tonight - but failed to take a decisive advantage as the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie ended goalless.
The Gunners - looking to bounce back from the 4-0 FA Cup thrashing at Manchester United on Saturday - more than matched their Serie A opponents, with World Player of the Year Kaka having only a limited impact.
Manager Arsene Wenger had labelled tonight's encounter the 'ultimate test' of his young side, who lead the Barclays Premier League by five points.
However, their performance, while spirited, lacked a real cutting edge in front of goal as Arsenal could not make the most of their dominance, particularly at the start of the second half - with in-form striker Emmanuel Adebayor seeing his stoppage-time header come back off the crossbar.
Nevertheless, the 2006 Champions League finalists remain very much alive heading into the return leg in Italy in a fortnight's time, when the young Gunners will indeed have to produce their performance of the season to advance.
It had been a lively opening to the match, Arsenal's 100th in the Champions League, a century completed under Wenger.
Massimo Ambrosini saw his header saved well by veteran Jens Lehmann - again deputising for Manuel Almunia, who has been struggling with a virus.
Arsenal - unbeaten in 19 home European ties before tonight's encounter - were forced into an early change when Kolo Toure was struck in the back of the thigh by Pato's fierce strike. The Ivory Coast centre-half had to be replaced by Philippe Senderos.
The Gunners, though, did not look to sit back, and mounted a quick counter attack from a long throw by Lehmann, which picked out Adebayor.
The gangly Togo frontman skipped clear of the defence, only to see his path to goal blocked by a saving tackle from Massimo Oddo.
Milan - seven times European champions - remained patient, but Arsenal continued to press.
Both Eduardo and Senderos nearly connected with a Cesc Fabregas corner as the Gunners looked to make the most of their possession inside the opening 20 minutes.
The Spaniard then clipped a lovely ball forwards into the path of Adebayor, who got just far enough ahead of marker Kakha Kaladze, but could not keep his 18-yard effort down.[+]