Jens Lehmann wrote himself into the Arsenal history books with a last-minute penalty save to the put the Gunners in their first European Cup final.

Lehmann saved from Riquelme in the 90th minute after Gael Clichy had been harshly penalised for a push on Jose Mari.

It was a dramatic final episode in a nail-biting semi-final.

It was not pretty. In fact it was downright ugly. But Arsenal will not care. This was a night for street-fighters not showboaters.

Gilberto was outstanding again and Sol Campbell overcame his rustiness with pure willpower and strength of spirit.

Arsenal barely mustered a shot at goal but the crucial thing was to keep a clean sheet and they did it for the tenth European game on the trot.

They rode their luck at times but Lehmann was a colossus in goal and the Gunners can look forward to the Champions League final in Paris, on May 17.

European glory could be just the thing to keep skipper Thierry Henry at Arsenal beyond this summer. Alternatively, a triumphant night in his hometown Paris could be seen as the perfect moment to bid au revoir to the club he has served brilliantly.

Arsenal's biggest-ever contract is on the table waiting to be signed. Barcelona and Real Madrid would also pay millions for his skills.

As the Arsenal captain prepared to kick-off for the second half, a fan ran onto the pitch with a Barcelona shirt with ''Henry 14'' printed on the back. He draped it on Henry's shoulders before the invader was rugby-tackled and thrown out by security.

Arsenal have not leaked a goal in Europe since September and they seemed happy to play for time against Villarreal, nicknamed the Yellow Submarine, from the first minute. They sat deep with Gilberto expertly patrolling his defence but the Gunners looked nervy.

The task was not helped when left-back Mathieu Flamini was forced off after only nine minutes.

Clichy came on for his first appearance since breaking a foot in November. Along with Campbell, playing to the left of central defence in place of the injured Philippe Senderos, it meant half the back four were seriously short of match practice.

At times that was clear. Arsenal creaked but hung in there with a combination of good fortune and dogged defending.

Toure made a sharp tackle to dent Diego Forlan early on and Guillermo Franco wasted good chances with wild finishing.

Lehmann broke an individual Champions League record in the fourth minute, when he passed Edwin van der Sar's 658 consecutive minutes without letting a goal in. The German has been immense this season and he looked in good touch again in Spain.

He saved from Juan Pablo Sorin and then blocked a cross-shot from Javi Venta which Franco dummied with a missed header at the near post.

Dangerman Riquelme tested him before the break with a free-kick from 30 yards but the Arsenal 'keeper was equal to it.

It was starting to look like Arsenal's night when Forlan rifled over from 15 yards in the 65th minute. Then Riquelme saw his spot-kick saved and the Yellow Submarine was finally sunk.