Bayer Leverkusen scored from a corner against Arsenal to take a 1-0 lead early in the second half of their Champions League round-of-16 first leg.

The goal, scored controversially by Robert Andrich in the 46th minute, has added a layer of irony to an already high-stakes encounter at the BayArena.

The deadlock was broken just seconds after the restart when Alejandro Grimaldo swung an inviting delivery into the heart of the Arsenal box.

Andrich, who had narrowly escaped a red card in the first half, rose highest to power a header past David Raya, leaving the “set-piece experts” shell-shocked.

Leverkusen manager went straight to Arsenal set-piece coach

In a moment of pure sporting theater, Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand immediately sprinted toward the Arsenal technical area following the goal.

According to TNT Sports, Hjulmand went straight to Arsenal’s renowned set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, to celebrate.

The exchange appeared to be a pointed reference to the pre-match tension between the two camps.

Bayer Leverkusen manager, Kasper Hjulmand, immediately went over to Arsenal's set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, after they scored from a corner against the Gunners ? pic.twitter.com/aBSbQPbi5R

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026

Hjulmand had spent the build-up to the game questioning the legality of Jover’s blocking tactics, suggesting that Arsenal often push the boundaries of the rules.

To see Leverkusen beat Arsenal at their own game, scoring from a corner, provided a moment of supreme irony that Hjulmand clearly couldn’t resist highlighting.

Bayer Leverkusen’s “No corners allowed” mind games

Ahead of the match, Leverkusen had leaned into the the set-piece merchants narrative surrounding Mikel Arteta’s side by placing “No Corners Allowed” warning signs around the corner arcs at the BayArena.

The signs, which featured a red slash through a corner flag, were shared across social media with the caption “Worth a try.”

Bayer Leverkusen posted “no corners allowed” ahead of facing Arsenal…

Then went on to score from a corner themselves ? pic.twitter.com/nKex3MrnOh

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026

While many viewed it as harmless banter, the tactical preparation behind it was evident as Leverkusen neutralised Arsenal’s primary threat throughout the first half.

By scoring from a corner themselves, Leverkusen have not only taken the lead in the tie but have also struck a significant psychological blow against Jover and Arteta.

With the match still ongoing, Arsenal now face the challenge of proving they can find a breakthrough in open play against a Leverkusen side that seems to have solved their set-piece puzzle.

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