Arsenal fought back from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw in the first leg and keep the tie level heading to London.
Bayer Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich headed his side into a 1-0 lead in the 46th minute. Leverkusen took a quick corner on the right. Alejandro Grimaldo curled the ball beyond the far post. Andrich arrived unmarked and powered his header past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Arsenal had created little before the break. Forward Gabriel Martinelli struck the woodwork in the first half. The visitors struggled to threaten the Leverkusen box.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta introduced Noni Madueke for Bukayo Saka around the hour mark. Later he sent on forward Kai Havertz in place of Viktor Gyokeres. The changes lifted Arsenal.
However, the hosts stayed compact and limited clear chances. Then, in the 86th minute, Madueke surged into the penalty area. Malik Tillman clipped him. Referee Halil Umut Meler pointed to the spot. VAR checked the contact and confirmed the decision.
Former Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz stepped up in the 89th minute. The 26-year-old kept his cool and slotted the penalty low past goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. The equaliser silenced the BayArena crowd and secured a vital draw.
The result ended Arsenal’s perfect Champions League record this season. Yet it left the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next week.
