The fast and entertaining encounter at the El Madrigal stadium saw Villarreal and Arsenal exchange a half each of mesmerising football. The final outcome of the tie is hard to predict, but Arsene Wenger was confident that Arsenal have the potential of progressing in a week's time.

"Villarreal started stronger and put us in a difficult position but it was a great response," Wenger said, as quoted by the BBC. "We took over in the second half and it puts us in a great position. We want to qualify at home and repeat the performance from the second half."

The visitors found themselves one goal behind after Marcos Senna opened the account for Villarreal in the ninth minute of the match. After the Spaniards went ahead, they continued to maintain a frightening rhythm and a flowing passing game that even England's most possession-obsessed team found hard to neutralise.

Villarreal easily dominated the proceedings in the first half and were by far the superior team on the pitch, with Giuseppe Rossi carving an opportunity on the right side of the penalty area and Senna had another pop with a 25-yard drive.

Arsenal were still suffering from the shock waves of the initial Spanish onslaught when they lost keeper Manuel Almunia in a hard collision in the 26th minute. He had to leave the pitch and was substituted by Lukasz Fabianski.

Naturally, the 23-year-old’s lack of experience would be tested early. He dived full length to turn away an angled drive by Senna and recovered to block a follow-up effort from Joan Capdevila at the near post to keep Arsenal in the game.

After the substitution, Villarreal could smell their opponents' vulnerability in the air and obligingly intensified the pressure. Rossi drove straight towards goal and was brought down by a combination of William Gallas and Alex Song on the edge of the area. Kolo Toure deflected wide an Ariel Ibagaza free kick, and then Ibagaza found Sebastian Eguren from the resulting corner.

At half time it appeared that the Gunners were in for more battering, but after the break, matters swiftly changed. Substantial Arsenal improvement saw the Londoners take charge, and Emmanuel Adebayor headed wide in one of the first attacks by the Londoners.

Pressure on the Spaniards was increased as Theo Walcott made strong surges before his substitution in the 77th minute, Cesc Fabregas had an attempt on goal followed by an effort from Song Billong.

In fact, after the break, Arsenal dominated the game to such a degree that they will feel cheated for not having collected a vital away victory.

And then came that moment of magic. Fabregas clipped a clinical pass to Adebayor on the edge of the area. In one fluid movement, the Togolese striker chested the ball down beautifully and hooked an acrobatic shot into the far corner. The mesmerising strike earned Arsenal a deserved draw and sent the away supporters wild. 

Adebayor's 15th goal of the season was so stunning, even Arsene Wenger was trotting along the touch line wanting to congratulate his player, the Frenchman's wide grin needing no further comment.