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Arsenal fights back to earn 2-2 draw against Barca

LONDON (AP)—Arsenal fought back from two goals down against Barcelona to earn a 2-2 draw after the visitors earlier put on a ruthless display in their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas converted a late penalty to equalize after being brought down by Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, who was sent off. But Fabregas believes he may have broken a leg in the challenge and he left Emirates Stadium on crutches.

"I fear the worst, which is that I have broken something," he said. "I do not think it is going to be good news, but still I hope there will be.

Fabregas was cautioned earlier in the match and he will be suspended anyway for the second leg."When I took the penalty, I was quite strong. But after when I went to get the ball, I could not walk any more."

Barcelona pounced all over Arsenal throughout the first half. Brilliant goalkeeping by Manuel Almunia and key blocks from defenders kept the first-leg match from being all over by the 15th minute.

"We were lucky because they had early chances and we gave them too much room to play," Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said. "But if you have no mental strength, you can go down by five.

"We were lucky to be 0-0 at halftime."

Arsenal's luck ended around 30 seconds after the restart when Zlatan Ibrahimovic latched onto a long ball punted downfield by Gerard Pique and lifted it over Almunia.

Ibrahimovic, who atoned for earlier misses, scored his second in the 59th minute when he beat the offside trap. He was unmarked when he blasted the ball past Almunia from the right.

Theo Walcott pulled a goal back for Arsenal three minutes after going on as a substitute when he struck a low shot past Victor Valdes from the right after a pass from Nicklas Bendtner in the 69th.

"It was a fantastic game for the neutral and to be involved in it tonight was great," Walcott said. "I always knew if I could get on I could show what I could do."

The result sets up a tantalizing second leg at Camp Nou on April 6.

"If we had been so much better, we would have won 5-2," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "We were better in certain aspects of the game but we need to be precise and good at the back. We've given a good image of how football should be played.

"I am happy and proud of my team but only teams who can go all the way in this competition will get the glory."

Arsenal continued to pile pressure on in the latter stages and it paid off when Fabregas was brought down by Puyol in the 84th.

Fabregas injured his knee and leg in an English Premier League match on Saturday and Wenger chose to select him on Wednesday after he passed a late fitness test.

Fabregas, who was prised from Barcelona as a youth player and has been linked with a return in recent years, marveled about his former team's performance.

"They keep the ball all the time," Fabregas said. "They play really beautiful football. It's very difficult to get the ball off of them. It was good for the team to come back.

"They are amazing," he added. "All you can do is just clap and enjoy it. But when you're on the pitch it is frustrating."

He said while he won't be able to play at the Camp Nou, he believes Arsenal's hopes are still alive.

"I believe in my teammates," he said. "I think they have a great spirit, a great quality. I think they can do very well."

Barcelona exerted a brutal display of attacking football in the first half and Arsenal appeared to be in shock and completely outmatched.

The visitors had five clear chances in the first nine minutes and two of them in the first 70 seconds. Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen slid in at the last moment in front of goal to cut out a low cross from Ibrahimovic in the first minute. A shot by Sergio Busquets was parried away seconds later by Almunia.

Lionel Messi cut past several Arsenal players and his shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Almunia. Ibrahimovic scuffed a shot over the bar moments later. The striker then made a blazing run from about the halfway line down the right, but blasted his shot into the side netting.

Almunia made three more spectacular saves from shots in front of goal, in addition to blocks from Alex Song and Vermaelen in the space of one minute around the 15th.

Barcelona had around 75 percent possession in the first 20 minutes.

Arsenal's first chance came in the 23rd when Samir Nasri cut the ball onto his right foot for his shot from the left to go just wide of the far post. A header by Abou Diaby in front of goal was misdirected later in the half.

Andrei Arshavin came off with a calf injury in the 27th and William Gallas had to be carried off in the 42nd after re-aggravating the calf injury that had sidelined him since Feb. 10.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry made a late cameo appearance to a standing ovation from the home fans