UEFA Champions League
Sporting CP 0 – 1 Arsenal FT
Kai Havertz scored the winner within the 91st minute as Arsenal gained for the primary time in three matches [Getty Images]
Kai Havertz scored a stoppage-time winner as Arsenal beat Sporting 1-0 within the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Lisbon.
The second-half substitute poked the ball previous Rui Silva late on to present the Premier League leaders a slender benefit going into subsequent week’s second leg at Emirates Stadium.
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The stress was on Arsenal coming into this match after they suffered back-to-back defeats for the primary time this season.
And that stress was practically elevated additional when Sporting left-back Maxi Araujo crashed a shot in opposition to the Arsenal crossbar early on after an outstanding by means of ball from Ousmane Diomande.
The Gunners had loads of possession within the first half however couldn’t translate that into clear-cut probabilities. The closest they got here to scoring was when Noni Madueke hit the crossbar direct from a nook.
Sporting regularly threatened with quick counter-attacks and virtually punished the Gunners when Araujo made one other burst ahead and reduce the ball again to Francisco Trincao, who pulled his shot broad.
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Martin Zubimendi thought he had given Arsenal a second-half lead when he curled in from the sting of the field, however the strike was dominated out as former Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres was offside within the build-up.
The hosts piled on the stress within the latter phases and David Raya made three good saves to maintain the scores stage, earlier than Havertz snatched the win for the Gunners.
Victory is Arsenal’s first in three matches and can give Mikel Arteta’s facet a lift as they return to Premier League motion in opposition to Bournemouth on the weekend.
Watch highlights of each Champions League recreation from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site and app.
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There may even be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.