Wenger: Defeat to Porto difficult to accept

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
17 Feb	7:45 PM	CL	Fc Porto (A)	1	2	Lost

Manager Arsène Wenger admits that the defeat last night to Porto was difficult to accept, especially after the winning goal was due to a (yet again) defensive cock-up.

Arsenal went 1-0 down in the first half before returning defender Sol Campbell equalised, only to become the villain when an unintentional backpass resulted in the indirect free kick from which Porto scored their winning goal.

Stand-in keeper Lukasz Fabianski turned his back on the ball and Porto literally had a shot at an open Arsenal goal, a gift that they did not hesitate to accept.

Whilst the tie is in no way over, you have to wonder what must be going through the players' minds when such naivety is present in a top class European tie.

Wenger said: "Both teams showed great spirit. It is difficult to swallow a defeat like that. It is unfortunate we lost this game, but we are still in the tie. We have a good opportunity to turn it around in the second game. The goals we conceded were difficult to imagine in a Champions League game.

"What can you do? The backpass was accidental. Where do you see a defender kick the ball back with his toe? It was completely accidental. The ball hit Sol, it was not on purpose and it has to be intentional to be a free-kick. It is difficult to understand how the referee can interpret that or not see that.

"Then, on an indirect free-kick, if you allow the team to play quickly, just five metres from the goal, how can the team defend that? It is better than a penalty. It was unbelievable that he allowed Porto to play straight away and push the ball into the net.

"I have never seen that and I have been in the game a long time. It is completely inappropriate that he allows that in such a situation. When the referee gives the free-kick he has to allow us a chance to defend it, otherwise it is better to give a goal straight away.

"From a situation where there was no goal chance at all, and no free-kick as well, the referee gives them just a goal. It is difficult to understand, but maybe I am not intelligent enough."

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