sport news Arsenal 1-0 Porto (agg 1-1, 4-2 on penalties): David Raya saves two spot-kicks ... trends now

Arsenal banished the echoes of old vulnerabilities at the Emirates last night when they survived a nail-biting, fractious extra-time and penalties ordeal against FC Porto and finally conquered the curse that had turned them into the kings of second round exits in the Champions League.

Wild scenes of celebration erupted around the stadium when David Raya dived to his left to save Porto’s fourth penalty from Galeno and ensure that Arsenal, who had scored each of their first four kicks, could not be caught. Raya had also saved from Wendell earlier in the shoot-out.

Arsenal’s last seven appearances in the competition had ended in the round of 16 but not this time. It was a far from convincing performance but after the tie had finished level at 1-1, Mikel Arteta’s side held their nerve at the last and they now join their Premier League title rivals Manchester City, and Real Madrid, Barcelona and the rest in the last eight.

The hopes and fears of so many years had hung heavily over the Emirates on a dank evening in north London. It was a night laden with memories of past glories for FC Porto and of past failings for Arsenal, a night when two teams came to fight to make amends and shoot for immortality.

It was 20 years ago this week when Porto went to Old Trafford for the second leg of another last 16 tie, trying to protect a one goal lead, just as they were trying to protect it at the Emirates.

It was 20 years ago when they stunned Manchester United with a last-gasp equaliser and their manager, Jose Mourinho, who was about to be catapulted to superstardom, ran from the bench and slid down the touchline on his knees.

Porto won the tournament that year so their hopes of matching that achievement this year are forlorn. Arsenal’s target was not quite as daunting. It had been 14 years since they last qualified even for the last eight of this competition.

To have been eliminated at the second round stage more than any other side – including in their last seven successive appearances - is not the kind of record anyone wants to set and it stung them like history’s rebuke as they ran out in front of their fans.

Brazilian winger Galeno had scored for Sergio Conceicao’s side deep into added time at the end of the first leg in Porto last month to add some unexpected jeopardy to this tie but Arsenal’s fans were so confident of progressing, outwardly at least, that they popularised the hashtag ‘pray for Porto’ on social media.

‘This stadium is going to have the energy that you have never seen in your life because we haven’t done it for 14 years,’ Arteta said before the game. These are heady times for his team as they gear up for the final stages of their attempt to win their first domestic title for 20 years and the crowd responded with the ardour Arteta demanded.

Arteta had started with Trossard on the left of the front three because Gabriel Martinelli was still absent with a foot injury and was seen at the stadium before the game on crutches. It is thought he will be out for at least two weeks but then it is 19 days until Arsenal play again.

To no one’s great surprise, Porto massed their defence at the start and soaked up

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