With two saves in the penalty shootout, David Raya stood tall and propelled Arsenal to their first quarterfinals in fourteen years against a resilient and defensive Porto side that managed to equalize the tie over 180 minutes.

A goal from Leandro Trossard in the first half leveled the score from Galeno in the first leg and allowed Arsenal to survive at the Emirates Stadium. The stadium held its breath during a lackluster extra time and relied on Raya's saves in the penalty shootout, two of them against Wendell and Galeno, to return to the top eight in Europe for the first time since Arsene Wenger's era.

Mikel Arteta's men endured a tough battle against Sergio Conceiçao's team, which held its ground and created a defensive stronghold that troubled the Gunners significantly. Even Leandro Trossard's goal in the 41st minute, following an incredible pass from Martin Odegaard amidst three defenders, didn't provide comfort for Arsenal.

The Gunners faced pressure throughout the match, confronting the expectations of a Europe where they often falter and have unsettled scores. For the first time this season, Arsenal appeared devoid of ideas and lacked offensive threat, relying on individual sparks, such as the one that nearly led to a 2-0 advantage.

Havertz contested a long ball with Pepe, the German brought down the Portuguese, and after Costa also fell, the ball was left for Odegaard to score. Despite Odegaard celebrating the goal, Clément Turpin blew the whistle and disallowed the goal due to Havertz's push on Pepe. Arteta, in disbelief in the stands, received a yellow card for his protests.

FC Barcelona Hitting the Jackpot with Their Champions League Quarterfinals Entry

Nerves, with qualification and elimination so close, overwhelmed the Londoners, who could barely muster a couple more chances until the penalty shootout—a Gabriel Jesus shot cleared by Costa and a save by the keeper from Saka's long-range attempt.

Porto settled for the draw and the lottery of penalties, and Arsenal feared a repeat of last year's scenario when Sporting Portugal, with Adán as the hero, eliminated them in the Europa League, also via penalties.

This time, another Spaniard played the hero—Raya. Initially questioned in his early days at Arsenal, the Spanish goalkeeper stopped Wendell's second penalty and Galeno's fourth, while Odegaard, Havertz, Saka, and Rice converted without missing.

For the first time since 2010, Arsenal has reached the quarter-finals and will be in the draw on March 15th, leading the Premier League and with a balanced account in Europe.