21 February 2007, by Sean Gillen

Arsenal stunned by Mendez strike

PSV 1-0 Arsenal

Dutch champions PSV gave themselves a huge chance of progressing to the next round after Edison Mendez’s goal on the hour mark earned them a narrow advantage over last season’s finalists Arsenal.

The Gunners had much the better of the play in the first half, but paid the price for not scoring an all-important away goal when Ecuadorian midfielder Mendez struck from over twenty metres in the 61st minute at the Phillips Stadium.

PSV’s Brazilian goalkeeper Gomes was largely responsible for the Eredivisie side going in level at half time, denying both Tomas Rosicky and Thierry Henry in the opening forty-five minutes with fine saves.

The hosts themselves struggled to really threaten Arsenal’s goal, with Jason Culina and Phillip Cocu both shooting straight at German goalkeeper Jens Lehman from long range.

The Premiership side appeared to ease off in the second half. The change in performance only encouraged PSV, and Arouna Kone had already threatened before he teed up Mendez to score the only goal fifteen minutes into the second period.

The home side had to play the final twenty-five minutes without Portuguese defender Manuel da Costa, who was taken off injured shortly after the goal, and although Gomes was called on to make a further stop from Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas, the Dutch champions were relatively comfortable.

PSV remain underdogs for the tie ahead of the second leg in London in two weeks time, but the surprise victory in Holland gives them a good chance of completing an upset at the Emirates Stadium.

Koeman pride

After the match, PSV coach Ronald Koeman expressed his delight at his side’s performance, telling reporters: “I’m very proud of my team and we got the best and deserved result - especially looking at the second half.”

“As the match went on, we put more pressure on them and were more compact during the later stages. We are in a fantastic position, and if we play to the level we did in the second half when we go to London then we have a chance.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: “I feel we had a decent first half and created chances to be in front. We had chances in the first half to kill the game and we could not do it.

“What happened in the second half is difficult to say. We dropped our level of cohesion. We created barely anything. We looked heavy-legged and were never really up with the pace of the game.”

“But we are only 1-0 down and it could have been 2-0. We have a chance to put it right at the Emirates. We will give everything as we have a good chance still to qualify.”

PSV:
Gomes, Kromkamp, Alex, Da Costa (Sun 65), Salcido, Culina, Simons, Cocu, Mendez, Kone, Tardelli (Vayrynen 75)
Yellow Cards: None

Arsenal:
Lehmann, Gallas, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb (Julio Baptista 75), Silva, Fabregas, Rosicky, Henry, Adebayor
Yellow Cards: Senderos (63)

Goals:
[1-0] Mendez, 61