Porto edge Arsenal 2-1

PORTO, Portugal (AP)

Radamel Falcao scored the second-half winner as FC Porto beat Arsenal 2-1 yesterday in the first leg of their last-16 match in the Champions League.

Falcao pounced in the 51st minute, following a quick free kick inside the penalty area after Arsenal defender Sol Campbell had made a back-pass to goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who picked the ball up. It was the Colombian's fourth goal in seven Champions League games this season.

The home team took the lead in the 11th minute when stand-in goalie Fabianski, who had strayed too far off his line, dived backwards to bundle a low cross by Silvestre Varela into the net.

Equaliser

Campbell, making his first appearance in Europe in four years since his return to Arsenal, equalised with a header seven minutes later.

Campbell, unmarked, found the roof of the net from short range to score what could be an important away goal. The return leg in London is on March 9.

"This result is good for Arsenal because they scored away from home," Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira said. "We're good enough to fight for a result (in London). We'll just have to see what injuries we have to deal with by then."

Porto, a two-time European champion, has made it through to the last 16 for the sixth time in seven seasons while Arsenal were looking for their first win at Porto's Stadium of the Dragon.

In the day's other game, Bayern Munich defeated Fiorentina 2-1.