{{Arsenal’s Champions League ambitions are over for another season, despite a gutsy away win at Bayern Munich.}}<\/p>\n
Olivier Giroud converted Theo Walcott’s cross in the third minute as the Gunners quickly reduced the 3-1 deficit from the first leg.<\/p>\n
Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski denied Bayern’s Arjen Robben after the break.<\/p>\n
Laurent Koscielny’s 86th-minute header left Arsene Wenger’s team one goal from a dramatic aggregate win, but their German opponents held on.<\/p>\n
The Gunners deserve credit for a spirited performance, yet the damage was done three weeks earlier when they were ruthlessly dismantled by the Germans.<\/p>\n
On a snowy evening in Munich, Arsene Wenger’s side produced one of their most impressive European performances for some time.<\/p>\n
But that will be of little consolation for Frenchman Wenger as the inquests begin into an eighth successive season without silverware.<\/p>\n
A fight for a place in the Premier League’s top four can be Arsenal’s only realistic target for the rest of the campaign after a fine effort which left fans wondering why they are unable to produce this level of performance on a more consistent basis.<\/p>\n
With England manager Roy Hodgson looking on, Walcott showed his class to tee-up Giroud to give Wenger’s side the start their manager had demanded.<\/p>\n
Giroud’s only previous Champions League goal for the Gunners came in Germany in their 2-2 draw against Schalke in November.<\/p>\n
And the French forward stunned runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern after good work by Santi Cazorla allowed Walcott to deliver a low third-minute cross for Giroud to score from close range.<\/p>\n
Wenger’s celebrations were subdued, the Arsenal manager aware his side still had a mammoth task ahead of them if they were to turn the tie upside down.<\/p>\n
There were also concerns about the Gunners defensive record after one clean sheet in seven previous games against continental opposition.<\/p>\n
Yet goalkeeper Fabianski, starting his first senior game for 13 months, did well to keep out former Chelsea winger Robben in the 68th minute.<\/p>\n
BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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