Half-Time Report: Olivier Giroud strike gives Arsenal hope

Arsenal have taken a 1-0 lead into half time of their Champions League last-16 tie against Monaco, meaning that they require two more goals to overturn the current 3-2 aggregate deficit.

© Getty Images

Despite the onus being on the visitors from the off, it was actually the Ligue 1 side who made the brighter start as Joao Moutinho curled an effort narrowly over the bar on the end of Dimitar Berbatov's cutback.

Arsene Wenger's side soon settled into the game, and with 15 minutes on the clock they found their first sight of target, although Olivier Giroud failed to steer his header goalwards when picked out inside the area.

Arsenal remained on top for large parts of the first half, without really creating any sort of openings to trouble their opponents at the back.

However, with 36 minutes gone Giroud managed to find a way through to provide his side with a glimmer of hope in the South of France, firing home into the roof of the net at the second attempt after seeing his initial shot blocked away.

Danny Welbeck, back into the side as one of three changes this evening, squandered a brilliant opportunity to pull another goal back for the Gunners when his first-time shot was turned behind by Aymen Abdennour.