David Raya’s heroics against Porto earns him POTM award

The Gunners emerged victorious over Porto, winning 4-2 penalties and advancing into the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2010.

Arsenal had to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg and Leandro Trossard’s only goal of the night levelled the match on aggregate. Both sides pushed for a winner but neither could find a breakthrough leading to an enthralling penalty shootout.

Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya made two crucial saves in the shootout earning a spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and breaking the hearts of two-time champions Porto.

All of four Arsenal’s penalty takers were on the mark as Raya denied both Wendell and Galeno to secure a spot in the quarter-finals after a 14-year-long wait.

Raya who arrived on loan from Brentford this season, was mobbed by his teammates after the shootout win. He told TNT Sports:

“I should have saved three, but I’m over the moon to save two and get through to the quarter-finals.

“Porto made it so difficult over there and here. But we scored the goal that we needed and it went to penalties. Obviously, mentally it’s tough but the team played really, really well, we kept a clean sheet, scored the goal and went to penalties.

Before going into the shootout, Raya had a record of one penalty saved and one conceded this season and insisted that his heroics from last night was the result of months of hard work on the training ground.

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This was a do-or-die match for the Gunners as they entered the tie as the Premier League leaders.