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Hosts are stretched on tense night before Trossard strikes

- John Cross

IT WAS never going to be as easy as all that.

Not with Harry Kane back at the Emirates to haunt them and Bayern Munich's European pedigree.

But at least Arsenal go into the second leg level after Leandro Trossard saved their big night after a roller-coaster of emotions.

It was an eerily flat atmosphere at times as Bayern threatened to derail Arsenal's glory charge and the ban on away fans for letting off fireworks in two previous games only made matters worse.

But Trossard's 76th-minute leveller saved Arsenal on a night when Mikel Arteta's men looked like Champions League rookies at times, having not reached this stage in 14 years. They were undone defensively and, having conceded just two goals in their previous 10 games, they shipped two howlers in the space of 14 minutes as Bayern defied their dismal form to give Arsenal an almighty scare.

Arteta's men just could not find the rhythm, tempo or momentum that has taken them to the top of the Premier League.

Of course, Kane was at the heart of it as his goal from the penalty spot made it 15 in 20 appearances against the Gunners.