Kai Havertz struck in stoppage time to give Arsenal a dramatic 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side arrived at the Estádio José Alvalade under pressure after back-to-back domestic defeats to Manchester City and Southampton, but despite another below-par performance, they managed to secure a crucial away win.
Sporting dominated large spells of the match and came close on several occasions, with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya producing key saves to deny Maxi Araújo and Geny Catamo. The hosts’ attacking pressure, however, failed to translate into goals.
Arsenal struggled to find rhythm, managing just one shot on target in the first half, while Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard were unable to break through Sporting’s defence.
A second-half effort from Martin Zubimendi was ruled out for offside, adding to the visitors’ frustration.
With both sides pushing late on, Sporting nearly snatched a goal, but Raya was again on hand to keep Arsenal level.
Just as the game looked set to end in a draw, Gabriel Martinelli delivered a precise pass over the defence, allowing Havertz to beat the offside trap and calmly finish past Rui Silva from close range.
The victory puts Arsenal in a strong position ahead of the second leg in north London on April 15, as they aim to reach the Champions League semi-finals and continue their pursuit of a first title in the competition.
What you should know
Kai Havertz scored a last-minute goal to secure a 1-0 win for Arsenal against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Despite struggling for much of the match, Arsenal capitalised on a late opportunity to gain a crucial advantage ahead of the return leg in London.