Atleti 1-1 Arsenal highlights: Viktor Gyökeres and Julián Alvarez on target in Champions League semi-final first leg

Viktor Gyökeres' first-half penalty gave Arsenal the lead but Atleti and Julián Alvarez had the answers in an absorbing encounter in Madrid.

Match in brief: Atleti hit back against Arsenal

A string of half-chances marked out a tight first-half contest before Viktor Gyökeres' clinical penalty sparked this semi-final first leg into life.

Piero Hincapié, Martin Ødegaard and Noni Madueke had come close for the Gunners while Atleti's Julián Alvarez stung the palms of David Raya after some artful footwork in the 14th minute and later headed over from Matteo Ruggeri's delivery.

A first-half breakthrough seemed unlikely as those chances came and went but Gyökeres had other ideas, the Swedish forward dispatching powerfully from the spot on 44 minutes having been brought down by Dávid Hancko.

Viktor Gyökeres celebrates the openerArsenal FC via Getty Images

Atleti were level within 11 minutes of the restart, Alvarez, Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann threatening as part of an electric start before the Argentinian forward ripped a perfect penalty into the top-left corner following a Ben White handball.

Diego Simeone's charges remained on top, Griezmann striking the crossbar and Lookman testing Raya in the ensuing 20 minutes, and enjoyed the best opportunity of the closing stages too – Nahuel Molina firing over in stoppage time.

Starting line-ups

Atleti: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone (Le Normand 46), Koke, Cardoso (Molina 88), Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez (Álex Baena 77)

Arsenal: Raya; White (Mosquera 86), Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Ødegaard (Eze 57), Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke (Saka 68), Gyökeres (Jesus 68), Martinelli (Trossard 68)

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Antoine Griezmann

"He performed impressively in what was his final home match for Atleti in this competition, displaying great movement and link-up play with Julián Alvarez. A constant threat in attack while also operating well defensively."
UEFA Technical Observer Group

Antoine Griezmann with the Player of the Match awardUEFA via Getty Images

Juan Díaz, match reporter

There was nothing to separate the sides in this tactical contest, setting the stage for a nail-biter in the deciding leg. Atleti were unable to make their second-half pressure count, with the crossbar denying Antoine Griezmann and David Raya making a smart stop to thwart Ademola Lookman.

Key stats

• Julián Álvarez scored his 25th Champions League goal in his 41st appearance in the competition. He is the fastest Argentinian to that total, surpassing Lionel Messi's mark of 25 goals in 42 games.
• Alvarez is the first Atleti player to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign.
• Viktor Gyökeres is the first Swedish player to score in a Champions League semi-final.
• The Arsenal No14 struck his first goal in the Champions League knockout phase.
• Atleti have lost only two of their last 19 European matches (W9 D8) against English opposition in Madrid.
• Arsenal remain the only unbeaten team in this Champions League season with ten wins and three draws in their 13 matches.

Reaction

Diego Simeone, Atleti coach: "The first half was evenly matched. Maybe they had more possession, but they didn't create many chances. They have a very strong squad – when the substitutes came on, they were better than the starters. Even so, we were better than them in the second half."

Koke, Atleti captain, to Movistar Plus+: "We gave it our best shot. We started off on the back foot. We had chances to win, but it will all come down to the second leg. They defend very well and have some very fast players up front."

Antoine Griezmann, Atleti forward: "We played better in the second half. We also played with more intensity. That's the way to go, and that's what we'll do in the second leg – it'll be a great game."

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach, speaking to TNT Sports: "We had a lot of positives, a lot of very good things that we did. This team [Atleti] – the history and the record that they have at home is incredible. So we knew we were going to have to navigate that."

Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal goalscorer, speaking to TNT Sports: "In the first half we controlled the game quite well. We had a few good opportunities to score and we managed to score from one of them. In the second half, they started much better, and maybe deserved to get a goal eventually. Towards the end, I think we got a few okay chances."

Fantasy star performers

Viktor Gyökeres: 8 points
Julián Alvarez: 6 points
Antoine Griezmann: 5 points