Lehmann’s leap of fate?

Villarreal 0 Arsenal 0 (agg: 0-1)

Lehmann saved from Riquelme in the 90th minute after Gael Clichy had been harshly penalised for a push on Jose Mari.

It was a dramatic final episode in a nailbiting semi-final.

It was not pretty. In fact it was downright ugly. But Arsenal will not care. This was a night for street-fighters not showboaters.

Gilberto was outstanding again and Sol Campbell overcame his rustiness with pure willpower and strength of spirit.

Arsenal barely mustered a shot at goal but the crucial thing was to keep a clean sheet, and they did it for the 10th European game on the trot.

They rode their luck at times but Lehmann was a colossus in goal and the Gunners can look forward to the Champions League final in Paris, on May 17.

European glory could be just the thing to keep skipper Thierry Henry at Arsenal beyond this summer.

Alternatively, a triumphant night in his hometown Paris could be seen as the perfect moment to bid au revoir to the club he has served brilliantly.

Take your pick.

Arsenal’s biggest-ever contract is on the table waiting to be signed. Barcelona and Real Madrid would also pay millions for his skills.

As the Arsenal captain prepared to kick-off for the second half, a fan ran onto the pitch with a Barcelona shirt with “Henry 14” printed on the back.

He draped it on Henry’s shoulders before the invader, who wore an Argentina shirt, was rugby-tackled and thrown out by security.

Afterwards Henry paid tribute to “magnificent” Jens Lehmann.

“He had an amazing game, not just the save. It was a team effort but Jens was magnificent.”

Henry added: “I think we showed it was all about desire and commitment.

“You didn’t see a lot of me but we worked very hard. Gael Clichy had an amazing game and the penalty was very harsh, if that’s a penalty then you’ll see one every day of the week.”

This success, however, is not all about superman Henry. It has been a team effort and every player can bask in the success.

Arsenal have not leaked a goal in Europe since September and they seemed happy to play for time from the first minute.

They sat deep with Gilberto expertly patrolling his defence but the Gunners looked nervy. Rarely did they get forward to support lone striker Henry and keeper Mariano Barbosa was rarely troubled.

The task was not helped when left-back Mathieu Flamini was forced off after only nine minutes.

Clichy came on for his first appearance since breaking a foot in November.

Along with Campbell, playing to the left of central defence in place of the injured Philippe Senderos, it meant half the back four were seriously short of match practice.

At times that was clear. Arsenal creaked but hung in there with a combination of good fortune and dogged defending.

Toure made a sharp tackle to dent Diego Forlan early on and Guillermo Franco wasted good chances with wild finishing.

Lehmann broke an individual Champions League record in the fourth minute, when he past Edwin van der Sar’s 658 consecutive minutes without letting in a goal.

The big German saved from Juan Pablo Sorin and then blocked a cross-shot from Javi Venta which Franco dummied with a missed header at the near post.

Dangerman Riquelme tested him before the break with a scorching free-kick from 30 yards but the Arsenal keeper was equal to it. He was back in action within two minutes of the restart, leaping high to claim a teasing cross and then safely clutching a long-range drive.

Villarreal thought they had the breakthrough in the 48th minute.

Venta, a constant problem for Clichy, whipped another ball into the centre and Franco arrived unmarked. The Mexican met the cross with a thumping header. Lehmann was rooted to the spot but it flashed inches wide of his left-hand post.

Livewire Franco missed an even better chance, five minutes later, heading over from Marcos Senna’s cross.

It was starting to look like Arsenal’s night when Forlan rifled over from 15 yards with Lehmann out of position, in the 65th minute.

Villarreal started to gamble, pushing men forward. Franco found the net but it was rightly ruled out for offside.

Then Riquelme saw his spot-kick saved by Lehmann and the Yellow Submarine was finally sunk.

VILLARREAL: Barbosa, Javi Venta, Pena, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena (Roger 82), Riquelme, Josico (Jose Mari 63), Senna, Sorin, Forlan, Franco.

ARSENAL: Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Campbell, Flamini (Clichy 9), Hleb, Fabregas, Silva, Ljungberg, Reyes (Pires 69), Henry.

Referee: Ivan Ivanov (Bulgaria).