Pires strike ensures Arsenal hold Chelsea
A vital away goal by Frenchman Robert Pires earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw at London rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their all-English Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
A vital away goal by Frenchman Robert Pires earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw at London rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their all-English Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
Pires's neat 59th-minute header cancelled out Iceland forward Eidur Gudjohnsen's strike from a tight angle six minutes earlier and put Arsene Wenger's team in pole position to reach the last four for the first time.
Chelsea suffered another heavy blow when captain Marcel Desailly was sent off for a second yellow card offence after 83 minutes, meaning he will miss the return leg at Highbury.
Arsenal are now unbeaten in their last 17 games against Chelsea.
The eventual winners of the tie will face either nine-times European champions Real Madrid or Monaco in the semi-finals. Real won the first leg 4-2 in Madrid.