Zalayeta strikes in Arsenal's lame exit

Juventus 1 Arsenal 0 Henry misses penalty as Leverkusen's Champions' League victory in Spain ends Wenger's European campaign

Champions' League

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Arsenal's fixture crisis was solved last night as Bayer Leverkusen, Deportivo La Coruña and Juventus combined to dispatch them from the Champions' League, thus freeing up several midweek dates. It is fair to say that Arsenal were not best pleased by this solution.

They only have themselves to blame. Three weeks ago they were cruising to victory in Leverkusen when Ray Parlour was dismissed. Leverkusen recovered to draw.

That goal came back to haunt Arsenal last night as Leverkusen defeated an under-strength Deportivo team to top Group D. That rendered this match irrelevant, but the Gunners were not to know that when, in the 56th minute, Thierry Henry missed a penalty for the second week running. Nor, 20 minutes later, when Marcelo Zalayeta headed what proved to be a winner for Juventus.

The match was played in an eerie atmosphere. With Juventus already out of the competition, and the Italian game suffering a crisis of confidence, only the most committed fans had deigned to support them. The atmosphere thus seemed akin to a reserve match, except Arsenal's reserves play at Barnet's Underhill, not an 80,000-capacity ground purpose-built for Italia 90.

The only densely occupied part of the stadium was the tranche allocated to around 2,500 Arsenal fans. Another pocket of Britons comprised a 200-strong group who had interrupted a skiing holiday in the nearby Alps. The "crowd" was further swelled by 450 supporters of Hapoel Tel Aviv, en route to Milan for tonight's Uefa Cup tie.

Their presence was something of a relief to the Italian television director who was under instructions not to show pictures of the empty terracing. This required some very inventive camerawork and was not entirely successful.

In keeping with the mood, Juventus fielded a skeleton team including the former West Bromwich Albion player Enzo Maresca. Tomas Guzman, a young Paraguayan, was given a debut while some of the substitutes were so obscure even the club's officials knew nothing of them. Gianluca Zambrotta and Alessandro Birindelli, two of the less celebrated members of their multi-national squad, were the only survivors from the team beaten 3-1 at Highbury in December. For Arsenal, Edu's recent good form was rewarded by his inclusion alongside Patrick Vieira in midfield.

Both were guilty of fouling Edgar Davids as the game, after an understandably muted start, began to develop a competitive edge. Lauren had a penalty appeal denied, Zambrotta headed a free-kick wide, and Henry brought the game's first save with a 20-yard drive.

That proved the precursor to the first genuine chance after 21 minutes. Freddie Ljungberg, on the right, beat his man then whipped a low cross behind the defence. Henry, got there ahead of Birindelli, his marker, and Fabian Carini, the goalkeeper, but steered the ball wide.

Seven minutes later Arsenal again caught Juventus square, Ljungberg running on to a lofted pass by Robert Pires. Carini, a young Uruguayan, reacted quickly to smother Ljungberg as he attempted to go past him.

The encouragement this bright start provided was dissipated, however, when Vieira again caught Davids and was shown a yellow card. Davids, twice dismissed in this tournament, was soon cautioned for a vengeful response.

Juventus, wearing, appropriately, their second strip, finally began to stir. Guzman played a one-two with Marcelo Zalayeta before shooting wide. Then Maresca exercised David Seaman. But the best chance before the interval fell to Pires in injury time. Put through by Henry he rolled the ball wide of the far post.

There was still time for Henry to embarrass Carini, the striker stealing in as the keeper dallied over a backpass. The ball bounced unkindly, however, and Carini recovered possession.

He again got the better of Henry, in more dramatic circumstances, six minutes into the second period. Henry, running away from goal to pursue a wayward Edu cross, was stupidly tripped by Cristian Zenoni. Henry, who missed a penalty against Deportivo last week, stepped up again, and saw Carini dive to his right and push his shot against the post.

The Arsenal fans, being kept in touch by text messages from England, soon fell into an even deeper gloom as news came through that Leverkusen were 2-0 up. Henry attempted to lift them with a searing break down the left but slid his shot past the far post.

Arsenal continued to create chances. Edu had a free-kick saved, Henry put one over, and Vieira drove a shot just past the post from close range. The biggest cheer from their support came, however, when Deportivo pulled a goal back.

Their joy was short-lived as Zalayeta rose to head in Maresca's corner. Arsenal now needed equalisers in matches being played in two different countries. Neither came. In Italy, Ljungberg was denied by Carini and Henry shot wide. In Spain, Oliver Neuville scored a third for Leverkusen. Arsenal's European quest was over.

Juventus (4-3-1-2): Carini; Zenoni, Birindelli, Iuliano, Paramatti (Pessotto, 23); Zambrotta (Amoruso, 69), Conte, Davids; Maresca; Zalayeta, Guzman (Pericard, 60). Substitutes not used: Rampulla (gk), Frara, Scardina, Maietta.

Arsenal (4-4-2): Seaman; Dixon, Luzhny, Campbell, Lauren (Cole, 78); Ljungberg, Vieira, Edu (Wiltord, 76), Pires; Kanu, Henry. Substitutes not used: Wright (gk), Grimandi, Inamoto, Tavlaridis, Aliadiere.

Referee: K-E Nilsson (Sweden).