Monaco stunned Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie as goals from Geoffrey Kondogbia, Dimitar Berbatov and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco ensured that the visitors leave the Emirates Stadium with three vital away goals. Arsenal’s hope of getting into the next round of Champions league took a massive dent as they need to score atleast three goals and not concede in the return fixture to make sure they qualify for next round in the Champions League.
Arsenal rue missed chances
The Gunners were frustrated for much of the first half and fell behind shortly before the break as Kondogbia's long-range effort deflected off Per Mertesacker to give the visitors their all-important first away goal. Olivier Giroud missed two big chances to equalise for the home team shortly after half-time, as former Tottenham and Manchester United striker Berbatov scored the second goal for Monaco with a controlled finish.
Theo Walcott and Danny Welback also missed their chances to equalise, however, second-half substitute Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain curled a long shot from 25 yards to pull one back in the extra time for the home team, but Monaco wasted no time and scored their third goal of the night within three minutes, after Ferreira-Carrasco raced away to fire past Ospina.
The return leg will be played at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday, March 18.
Arsenal 0-1 Monaco: Kondogbia (38’)
Kondogbia scored a long range goal which deflected off Mertesacker
Arsenal 0-2 Monaco: Berbatov (53’)
Anthony Martial burst forward and found Berbatov, who scored with a controlled finish
Arsenal 1-2 Monaco: Chamberlain (90+1’)
Oxlade Chamberlain curled a long shot from 25 yards in the extra time to score the first goal for Gunners
Arsenal 1-3 Monaco: Ferreira-Carrasco (90+4’)
Ferreira-Carrasco scored the third goal for the visitors