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Late Pires strike gives Arsenal 1-1 first-leg draw against Chelsea

Damien Duff couldn't get this shot past Arsenal's Jens Lehmann. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

LONDON, (Reuters) -- A Robert Pires equaliser earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw with London rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their all-English Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen put Chelsea ahead after 53 minutes but the hosts were pegged back six minutes later by Pires and they also had skipper Marcel Desailly sent off in the 83rd minute.

Though the second leg at Highbury in a fortnight's time is set to be equally close, Arsenal's away goal makes them favourites to secure a probable semi-final with Real Madrid, who ran out 4-2 winners over AS Monaco at the Bernabeu.

Neither Arsenal nor Chelsea have reached the Champions League semi-finals before.

The draw ended Arsenal's five-game winning run in the Champions League but Arsene Wenger's side have now gone 17 games without defeat against their west London rivals after beating them 2-1 on three occasions earlier this season.

Wednesday was clearly the toughest of their four meetings and the absence of Desailly, who will be suspended from the second leg, will be a blow for Chelsea when they face the English premier league leaders and FA Cup semi-finalists at Highbury on April 6.

Chelsea's Italian manager Claudio Ranieri, whose future has been the subject of mounting speculation, was at least given a vote of confidence from the Stamford Bridge fans, who sang, "There's only one Claudio Ranieri," in a fast and furious first half.

On the pitch, Arsenal's Dutch forward Dennis Bergkamp was the first to test Marco Ambrosio but Pires posed a bigger threat to the Chelsea keeper minutes later when put clean through for a tight-angled shot.

Romanian striker Adrian Mutu replied for the hosts with a free kick into Jens Lehmann's arms, while the best chance of the half fell to Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who could only head a Bergkamp free kick wide from close range.

SWEET MOMENT

Chelsea broke through eight minutes into the second half.

Frank Lampard sent a 30-metre ball forward and, with the Arsenal defenders hesitating, Lehmann came storming out and his attempted clearance was charged down by Gudjohnsen, who twisted round to send a neat shot into the empty net.

It was a sweet moment for Gudjohnsen, who was sent off when these two sides met in the league at Stamford Bridge last month.

The Bridge swiftly became a cauldron as Chelsea, through Lampard and Damien Duff, almost forced a second goal.

Their lead, though, lasted only six minutes before Arsenal left back Ashley Cole sent a high ball into the box and Pires out-jumped his marker to plant a superb header past Ambrosio and into the bottom corner.

It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded in the competition for 561 minutes, the third longest streak in Champions League history.

Chelsea responded by piling on the pressure, with Ranieri throwing on Argentine striker Hernan Crespo and attacking midfielder Joe Cole.

The pressure nearly paid off when Gudjohnsen struck a fierce volley in a packed goalmouth, but Chelsea were soon to be rocked by Desailly's red card for a second yellow card, a foul on France team mate Vieira.

Away goal gives Arsenal the edge, says Wenger

LONDON (Reuters) -- Arsenal hold a psychological advantage after drawing 1-1 with Chelsea in their Champions League quarter-final first leg match on Wednesday, manager Arsene Wenger said.

"(It gave us) a psychological edge, yes," Wenger said after his side equalised with a precious away goal at Stamford Bridge.

"We have a good opportunity. It was important for us to score a goal to come back. It was a great result for us.

"When we gave the goal away we needed to show a lot of character."

Wenger's side have not lost to their southwest London rivals in 17 matches and are favourites to set up a probable semi-final against nine-times winners Real Madrid.

Neither Arsenal, who are chasing a Champions League, premier league and FA Cup treble, nor Chelsea have progressed beyond the quarter-finals in the competition before.

Wenger, his voice hoarse and croaking, said Chelsea had made it difficult for Arsenal to play their free-flowing game in a tense London derby.

"They did not want us to score. They never opened the game up. We always had to chase."

Robert Pires's well-crafted goal, six minutes after Eidur Gudjohnsen had poached Chelsea's 53rd-minute opener following a mistake by Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann, took the wind out of the home side's sails, however.

'KILL US'

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri said he was not unhappy with the result. "They still have to kill us," the Italian said.

Speculation that Ranieri would be sacked at the end of the season had overshadowed preparations for the match and Chelsea fans were vocal in their support for the coach throughout the lively encounter.

"I would like to thank everybody but I would like support for Chelsea, for my players. They deserve it," Ranieri said. "The manager may change, the chairman may change but Chelsea remains."

Arsenal, nine points ahead of second-placed Chelsea in the premier league after beating them 2-1 three times this season including in an FA Cup tie, have been Ranieri's bogey team since he arrived at Stamford Bridge four years ago.

Their supremacy in England, combined with new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's ambition and desire for change, have conspired against the amiable Italian.

"We know this season Arsenal are in another world," Ranieri said, adding that their record suggested they would score at Highbury on April 6 in the second leg.

"But Chelsea away in the Champions League are strong and I believe it is not finished yet."

Chelsea have won all five of their Champions League away games this season without conceding a goal.

Belief is key to beating Arsenal, says Lampard

LONDON (Reuters) -- Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard says self-belief is the key to his side's hopes of reaching the Champions League semi-finals after Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Arsenal's away goal in the quarter-final, first leg at Stamford Bridge and a 17-match unbeaten run against the west Londoners have given Arsene Wenger's side a clear edge for the return game at Highbury in a fortnight's time.

Lampard, whose side failed to build on a brief second-half lead against the premier league leaders through Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, told reporters: "Everyone's beatable.

"We did have a chance to have a more substantial lead, that's for sure. At 1-0, we were really on top of them and could have got a second goal which would have given us great momentum.

"That's disappointing. But there's a lot to play for.

"People will say they're favourites, they were favourites before this game anyway. But we've got to go there and believe in ourselves and believe we can get after them and not give them time to play their game and get the result we need."

Gudjohnsen, who described his goal as "fortunate" and Arsenal's equaliser from Robert Pires as having "quality written all over it," was also hopeful of turning things around.

"It's always difficult going to Highbury knowing you have to score. But if we give them a game like we did tonight, anything's possible."

Arsenal players were clinging to the away goals rule, which will put the pressure on Chelsea to push up at Highbury.

TENSE GAME

"It's going to be a tense game and we also know that Chelsea are going to be forced to come forward and to free up space behind them," Pires said. "And that's what we have to take advantage of.

"It was a very good performance tonight and we have a slight advantage in being fortunate enough to have scored an away goal. But now it's down to us to handle the situation properly."

Skipper Patrick Vieira was on the same wavelength, saying: "The important thing is scoring the away goal.

"We were well-organised and patient, even after we conceded. We showed our determination not to lose the game and I think we deserved to score and get the draw.

"The motivation and the desire are there because there is a place in the Champions League semi-finals to be won," said the Frenchman. "I think we've done well here."

Vieira also played down a particularly tough fortnight ahead for his treble-chasing team who face Manchester United twice, this weekend in the premier league and then in FA Cup semi-finals.

"The accumulation of matches is always a problem," said Vieira. "But when you're a footballer, you dream of playing in big games."

Pires said: "We know that everyone wants to beat us, but with the strength of character and team spirit that Arsenal have got this season, everything has been going well for us. And I hope it'll continue."

Summary

Chelsea (England) 1 Arsenal (England) 1 - result

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Scorers:

Chelsea - Eidur Gudjohnsen 53

Arsenal - Robert Pires 59

Red card: Marcel Desailly (Chelsea) 83

Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 40,778

Teams:

Chelsea: 31-Marco Ambrosio, 13-William Gallas, 26-John Terry, 6-Marcel Desailly, 18-Wayne Bridge, 19-Scott Parker (10-Joe Cole 72), 8-Frank Lampard, 4-Claude Makelele, 11-Damien Duff, 7-Adrian Mutu (21-Hernan Crespo 72), 22-Eidur Gudjohnsen (15-Mario Melchiot 86)

Arsenal: 1-Jens Lehmann, 12-Lauren, 23-Sol Campbell, 28-Kolo Toure, 3-Ashley Cole, 8-Fredrik Ljungberg (9-Jose Reyes 78), 4-Patrick Vieira, 17-Edu, 7-Robert Pires, 10-Dennis Bergkamp (19-Gilberto 72), 14-Thierry Henry.

Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain)

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