Saka downs Atletico to send Arsenal into Champions League final

Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka's goal clinched a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory.

On a momentous night for the club in north London, Saka turned home the decisive goal just before half-time after Leandro Trossard's shot had been parried, ensuring that Arsenal will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30.

The Gunners, aiming to lift the trophy for the first time in their history having been beaten by Barcelona in their only previous final appearance in 2006, were deserving winners but had to come through another fiercely-contested encounter with Atletico.

It might have turned out differently had the excellent Declan Rice not made a vital tackle to prevent a certain goal from Giuliano Simeone in the first half. There was another goal-saving challenge on the same Atletico player by Gabriel Magalhaes after half-time.

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But Arsenal, dogged in claiming a draw in last week's first leg, produced another outstanding defensive display to limit the visitors' chances, and missed opportunities themselves to make the game safe.

Viktor Gyokeres spurned the best of them, firing over from substitute Piero Hincapie's low cross when well placed in the centre of the box. But in the end Saka's goal proved sufficient, as Mikel Arteta's side saw out the closing stages before celebrating a historic win.

More to follow...

Also See:

• Latest Arsenal news and reaction to Atletico game