David Raya makes penalty admission after Arsenal shootout heroics in win over Porto
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya joked that he should have saved three penalties in the dramatic Champions League shootout win over Porto - despite stopping two in a heroic performance for his team.
Pepe sent the Spaniard the wrong way in the visitors’ first attempt during Tuesday’s last-16 second leg, which went all the way after Leandro Trossard’s only goal on the night levelled the tie on aggregate.
But Raya hit his stride from then on and got a fingertip to Wendell’s penalty, which hit the post and came back off the keeper’s leg before landing the right side of the goalline from an Arsenal perspective.
Marko Grujic somehow squeezed his effort past Raya to cut the deficit before Porto winger Galeno was denied by a sprawling stop to send Arsenal into the quarter-finals.
“I should have saved three!” Raya remarked to TNT Sports post-match.
“I should have saved the other one... but obviously over the moon to save two penalties in the Champions League to get to the quarter-finals.”
DAVID RAYA SAVES GALENO'S PENALTY AND ARSENAL ARE INTO THE #UCL QUARTER-FINALS! 🧤
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/njPN4PbHXP— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 12, 2024
Before the penalty kicks, the goalkeeper was seen poring over notes on Porto’s takers with the Arsenal coaching team in the dugout.
Raya, 28, had a record of one penalty saved and one conceded this season going into the shootout and insisted that his saves were the result of months of hard work on the training ground.
“We played a really, really good game from the start, we dominated and created chances but it went down to penalties,” he continued.
“We’ve been working a lot on penalties this year, because on nights like this we need to be really, really good.
“All the hard work with the goalkeeping coach and with the team has paid off, obviously it’s a great moment personally and collectively.”
Raya added: “It means everything, you play in these kind of things and I’m lucky enough to play for Arsenal in the Champions League and to get through to the quarter-finals.
“Over the moon and I’m going to celebrate it with the team and enjoy the night.”