Bukayo Saka’s goal in the 76th minute gave Arsenal hope in their Champions League semi-final second leg, but minutes later the England international missed a golden opportunity
Arsenal fans have been left ruing what might have been after Bukayo Saka missed an open goal late in their crushing Champions League semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Saka, 23, was Arsenal’s biggest threat over the two legs, having also shone in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid.
And it was his goal in the 76th minute that gave the Gunners a glimmer of hope in Paris. Having found themselves 2-0 down on the night and trailing 3-0 on aggregate, Saka capitalised on a PSG error and dug out a goal, not giving up after his first shot was blocked.
It was suddenly game on and four minutes later, a cross from Riccardo Calafiori evaded everyone, including PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and the ball fell to Saka. The England international had an open net and a split second to react, as he attempted to prod home first-time with his right foot.
But instead of hitting the back of the net, the ball sailed high over the bar. “Keep it down, wee man,” Ally McCoist lamented on commentary, as Saka and his fellow Arsenal supporters rued his miss.
“That Saka miss will be etched in my memory forever,” one fan posted on social media platform X. “You cannot be doing that in the Champions League,” a second wrote.
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A third added: “Saka, how can you miss that? Open Goal, a tap in was enough. That moment could have changed the momentum of the game.”
The conversation tied into the long debate over Arsenal’s recruitment and their lack of a fit striker, with Saka and the wide forwards relied on to score the goals after injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. “At what point do we buy a striker?” one supporter asked. “Bukayo Saka has been immense again. If only we signed a damn a striker back in January,” another bemoaned.
Would Arsenal have completed the comeback if Bukayo Saka had scored? Have your say in the comments section.
Fans were still proud of Arsenal’s endeavour, as was Arteta. “I am so proud of the players,” the Gunners told TNT Sports.
“They deserve a lot of credit for what they are doing in the context of the situation and the amount of injuries, probably the worst state you could arrive here as a team. To come here with a different context and still do that, it gives me a lot of positives for the future but tonight I am very upset.”
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