UCL 2025-26: Arsenal draw 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen; Bodo/Glimt beat Sporting 3-0 in the first leg of round 16

Arsenal’s eight-match winning run in the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League came to an end as it took an 89th-minute penalty from substitute Kai Havertz to salvage a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in their last-16 second leg on Wednesday.

Former Leverkusen player Havertz converted the late penalty and canceled out Robert Andrich’s header for the hosts in the 46th minute. This was the first time this season that quadruple-chasing Arsenal have fallen behind in Europe’s elite competition.

The Premier League leaders, who had won all eight previous games and topped the table after the league stage, had Leverkusen off to a good start and Gabriel Martinelli rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot in the 19th minute qwy2.

However, the hosts were able to cope with the early pressure and gradually found their footing, with Christian Kofane’s runs posing a constant threat to Arsenal’s defence.

Leverkusen almost caught their opponent napping with a move straight from the kick-off in the second half, earning them a corner. Alex Grimaldo curled the ball towards the far post, where an unmarked Andrich headed in to give the hosts the lead.

Mikel Arteta’s side could not find a way back into the match and were toothless in attack. The coach left Bukayo Saka after an hour to bring on Noni Madueke, before Havertz was also introduced to loud applause from the home crowd.

READ ALSO | UCL 2025-26: Valverde hat-trick gives Real Madrid the lead against Manchester City

Arsenal had an excellent chance in the 85th when Jurrien Timber was left unmarked in front of goal, but he headed his header over the crossbar before Madueke went down in the penalty area after slight contact with Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman.

After a lengthy VAR review, Havertz kept his composure to salvage a draw ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg in London.

Brilliant Bodo/Glimt beat Sporting CP 3-0

Another brilliant performance on the artificial home pitch at the Aspmyra Stadium earned Norway’s Bodo/Glmit a 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

The Norwegians’ fairytale winning run in the ‌Champions League extended to five ‌wins ⁠in a row when ⁠Sondre Brunstad Fet converted a penalty he had won after half an hour, and Ole Didrik ‌Blomberg followed with a superbly placed finish from a tight angle in first-half stoppage time.

The Portuguese side had a good chance early in the match but then the home side took over and could have been three ahead in the 55th minute after the ball bounced around in the penalty area before eventually going out of play, with Bodo defender Jostein Gundersen heading the resulting corner straight at the keeper.

Danish striker Kasper Hogh completed another fairytale effort by stealing between two defenders in the 71st minute to deftly send the ball into the net from close range.

The second stage will take place next Tuesday in Lisbon.

Published on March 12, 2026