Chris Maduewesi
Member
Besiktas gave a very good account of themselves to secure a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoffs against Arsenal.
It was a lively game that was full of sparks and highly entertaining,but the only missing link was the goals not scored.
With Fenerbahce serving a suspension from UEFA,Besiktas was in the play-offs by chance,replacing the Turkish champions who topped them in the league with 13 points.
If there was any player the Gunners knew very well,it was Senegalese striker Demba Ba and he didn't waste any time to show why he should be dreaded.
Ba almost caught out Wojciech Szczesny off his lines,taking a long range shot in the first minute of the game that left the Arsenal goalkeeper scampering.
Arsenal may have been tipped as the team to go through from this playoff game but Besiktas didn't just turn to make up the numbers,they actually went for it.
It was all about Ba,and the former Chelsea player made sure he rattled Arsenal's defence with his presence.
Ba came close,meeting a cross and hitting a wonderful left-footed volley that Szcezesny was lucky to make a save off.
And at the other end of the pitch,Olivier Giroud almost found the net for the Gunners but couldn't effectively bundle in the ball into the net.
But it was the solo run by Ba in the last few minutes of the first half that got everybody on their feets.
The former Newcastle striker took on Arsenal's central defence pair of Calum Chambers and Laurent Koscielny,but he was let down by his finish with the ball sailing just wide off the post.
Arsenal had to see out the game the hard way after Aaron Ramsey was sent off from the game for two yellow card offences .
Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain almost stole the win for Arsenal hitting the post with a low drive late on in the game.
However there was to be no more late drama,with both teams settling for the draw and deferring the fight till when they get to the Emirates.
Arsenal now have all to do in the return fixture of their game at the Emirates,knowing that they will have to stop the Turkish team from scoring an away goal as it could be very costly,with any goal likely to make the difference.
It was a lively game that was full of sparks and highly entertaining,but the only missing link was the goals not scored.
With Fenerbahce serving a suspension from UEFA,Besiktas was in the play-offs by chance,replacing the Turkish champions who topped them in the league with 13 points.
If there was any player the Gunners knew very well,it was Senegalese striker Demba Ba and he didn't waste any time to show why he should be dreaded.
Ba almost caught out Wojciech Szczesny off his lines,taking a long range shot in the first minute of the game that left the Arsenal goalkeeper scampering.
Arsenal may have been tipped as the team to go through from this playoff game but Besiktas didn't just turn to make up the numbers,they actually went for it.
It was all about Ba,and the former Chelsea player made sure he rattled Arsenal's defence with his presence.
Ba came close,meeting a cross and hitting a wonderful left-footed volley that Szcezesny was lucky to make a save off.
And at the other end of the pitch,Olivier Giroud almost found the net for the Gunners but couldn't effectively bundle in the ball into the net.
But it was the solo run by Ba in the last few minutes of the first half that got everybody on their feets.
The former Newcastle striker took on Arsenal's central defence pair of Calum Chambers and Laurent Koscielny,but he was let down by his finish with the ball sailing just wide off the post.
Arsenal had to see out the game the hard way after Aaron Ramsey was sent off from the game for two yellow card offences .
Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain almost stole the win for Arsenal hitting the post with a low drive late on in the game.
However there was to be no more late drama,with both teams settling for the draw and deferring the fight till when they get to the Emirates.
Arsenal now have all to do in the return fixture of their game at the Emirates,knowing that they will have to stop the Turkish team from scoring an away goal as it could be very costly,with any goal likely to make the difference.
