Arsenal will compete in the Champions League for the 14th consecutive season after their beleaguered side came from behind to record a brave 2-1 win at Udinese last night.
Leading 1-0 from the first leg of the play-off tie, Arsenal were menaced throughout by the threat of an elimination that would have been unthinkable in both sporting and financial terms.
In the 39th minute, Udinese’s irrepressible talisman Antonio di Natale guided a header inside the right-hand post that levelled the tie on aggregate and took the Italians to within a goal of the group phase.
Arsenal captain Robin van Persie equalised 10 minutes into the second half, but the hosts were handed a chance to re-establish their advantage shortly afterwards when referee Olegario Benquerenca awarded a penalty against Thomas Vermaelen for handball.
Young goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny excelled himself in the face of Di Natale’s spot-kick, however, plunging to his right and somehow palming the ball over the crossbar despite the power and precision behind the Italian’s rising shot.
The shock of spurning such an opportunity drew the hosts’ sting and Theo Walcott put Arsenal out of sight in the 69th minute by racing into the box and coolly beating goalkeeper Samir Handanovic at his near post.
On the day that Samir Nasri completed his move from Arsenal to Manchester City – and just nine days after Cesc Fabregas returned to Barcelona – it was a timely victory for Arsene Wenger, whose methods had been called into question with greater zeal than ever before as his squad collapsed around him.
His starting line-up contained five players aged 21 or under and two 19-year-old Champions League debutants in the shape of right-back Carl Jenkinson and holding midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong.
Frimpong was replaced by Tomas Rosicky at half-time but this remained a stirring performance by a young team scarred by the trauma of recent departures and bereft of Jack Wilshere, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs, Abou Diaby and Nicklas Bendtner due to injury.
Also booking their place in the Champions League group stage yesterday were Lyon as a 1-1 draw in Russia gave them a 4-2 aggregate win over Rubin Kazan.
Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Rubin knew they needed two goals to advance but none were forthcoming in a tense first half.
Bibras Natkho finally struck 13 minutes from time to give his side hope, but Bakari Kone headed home 10 minutes later to ensure Lyon reached the group stage for the 12th straight year.
Play-off round, 2nd legs
| Played yesterday | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Agg |
| Udinese (Italy) vs Arsenal (England) | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Sturm Graz (Austria) vs BATE Borisov (Belarus) | 1-1 | 0-2 | 1-3 |
| V. Plzen (Czech Rep.) vs Copenhagen (Denmark) | 3-1 | 2-1 | 5-2 |
| Benfica (Portugal) vs FC Twente (Holland) | 2-2 | 3-1 | 5-3 |
| Rubin Kazan (Russia) vs Lyon (France) | 1-3 | 1-1 | 2-4 |
| Played Tuesday | |||
| Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) vs Wisla Krakow (Poland) | 0-1 | 3-1 | 3-2 |
| Genk (Belgium) vs Maccabi Haifa (Israel) (aet; Genk win 4-1 on penalties) | 1-2 | 2-1 | 3-3 |
| Malmo (Sweden) vs Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) | 1-4 | 2-0 | 3-4 |
| FC Zurich (Switzerland) vs B. Munich (Germany) | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-3 |
| Villarreal (Spain) vs OB Odense (Denmark) | 0-1 | 3-0 | 3-1 |
Group stage draw: Today, 5.45 p.m.