PARIS - Barcelona came back from a goal down to beat 10-man Arsenal 2-1 to win their second European Cup soccer final at Stade de France today.
Late strikes from Samuel Eto'o and substitute defender Juliano Belletti cancelled out a first-half header from Arsenal defender Sol Campbell.
Arsenal became the
first side ever to have a player sent off in a final when German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was dismissed after he caught Eto'o on the fringe of the area after the Barca striker had been put through by Ronaldinho in the 18th minute.
Cameroon international Eto'o stumbled but managed to stay upright and fed the ball to Ludovic Giuly who drilled the ball into the net.
But Norwegian referee Terje Hauge, who sent off Chelsea full back Asier del Horno when the Londoners played Barcelona earlier in the competition, pulled play back, sent off Lehmann and awarded a free kick to the Spanish champions outside the area.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger took off French midfielder Robert Pires in his final match for the north London club and replaced him with Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
Lehmann, who will be Germany's first choice at the World Cup, was Arsenal's hero against Villarreal in the semifinal when he saved a last-minute penalty by Juan Roman Riquelme.
Despite being reduced to 10 men Arsenal took the lead against Barcelona in the 37th minute when central defender Sol Campbell headed home a Thierry Henry freekick.
Arsenal looked to be on course for victory until Eto'o equalised after racing on to a neat flick from substitute Henrik Larsson 14 minutes from time.
Brazilian Belletti grabbed the winner soon after when he battered a shot under goalkeeper Manuel Alumnia.
- REUTERS
