Villarreal, Spain  - Arsenal are well placed to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, after battling out a valuable 1-1 draw away to old enemies Villarreal on Tuesday.

Arsenal edged Villarreal out of the 2006 final and are poised to eliminate the Spaniards again, after a superb strike from Emmanuel Adebayor cancelled out an early goal from Marcos Senna.

Villarreal went into the quarter-final first leg without broken leg victim Santi Cazorla. Arsenal, in contrast, had key men Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas fit again.

Spain's Euro 2008 anchorman Senna opened the scoring after just 10 minutes with a blistering long-range drive that swerved beyond the reach of Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia.

Almunia then had to be on his toes to save another Senna drive - as well as the follow-up from Joan Capedevila - before leaving the field with a twisted right ankle, to be replaced by Lukasz Fabianski.

Arsenal were fortunate to be only 1-0 down at half-time. They came out for the second a different side: more aggressive and determined, with Villarreal content to sit back and play on the break.

Arsenal took control in midfield but lacked the final pass.

Until the 66th minute, that is, when Fabregas found Adebayor with a clever diagonal ball. The Togolese striker controlled the ball perfectly on his chest and - with defender Gonzalo Rodriguez looking sluggish - made it 1-1 with a spectacular volley.

It was Adebayor's fourth goal in the competition, and certainly his most handsome one.

Arsenal continued to dominate and Theo Walcott should have put them in the lead when free down the right.

Villarreal pressed strongly again at the end, but had wasted most of the second half. (dpa)