Across 210+ minutes of their Champions League last-16 tie with Arsenal, Porto tried every dirty trick in the book. Led by rattler in chief, 41-year-old Pepe, Sergio Conceicao's side wasted time at every opportunity, feigned injuries and did all in their power to unsettle a Gunners side unversed in the sharp end of European competition.
It might have done the trick too, if not for David Raya. Brought in amid much controversy in the summer, Arsenal will be toasting their Spanish shot-stopper in the days that follow, with his two saves in the penalty shootout booking Arsenal's place in the quarter-finals after the aggregate scores were level 1-1 following extra-time in Tuesday's second leg.
The tension that had been building at the Emirates in a fractious first-half was fleetingly punctured just before the break, thanks to a moment of exquisite brilliance by Martin Odegaard. The Gunners captain somehow threaded a ball through to Leandro Trossard, and the Belgian slid it through Pepe's legs and into the bottom corner.
Buoyed by their goal, Arsenal breached Porto's resistance more frequently after the interval and they even had the net bulging in the 69th minute, only for Odegaard's effort to be chalked off for a foul on Pepe by Kai Havertz in the build-up. Substitute Gabriel Jesus and Odegaard - again - then had half-chances to win it, but neither could convert, sending the game to extra-time.
The Gunners rather ran out of steam in the additional period, however, meaning things had to be settled by a penalty shootout. Here, Raya stood up tall, keeping out Galeno and Wendell's efforts from 12 yards to send Arsenal through at the expense of the valiant, but entirely cynical, Portuguese side.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium...