Premier League leaders Arsenal can bank on some measure of fortune this evening after Mikel Arteta’s Gunners got off to a difficult start in the round of sixteen in the Europa League in a 2-2 draw against Portuguese giants Sporting CP in Lisbon.
Honours even in the first leg
Back to Emirates Stadium next week 💪 pic.twitter.com/UgXWEv5fua
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 9, 2023
Sporting had a brilliant chance to take the lead in the 6th minute after a ball over the top got the better of the unoccupied right channel before neither Jorginho nor William Saliba was able to snuff the chance out, only for Trincão to scuff his effort wide of Matt Turner’s far post.
Despite Rúben Amorim’s outfit pushing for an opener, French international William Saliba headed Arsenal in front from six yards out in the 22nd minute after Fábio Vieira’s inswinging corner found the 21-year-old who rose highest in the box to set the Gunners on their way.
The Portuguese giants crafted another decent chance in the 34th minute when defender Gonçalo Inácio tested Turner from range, with the American forced to parry the low drive out for a corner, which Sporting ultimately capitalized on after former Tottenham academy graduate Marcus Edwards turned provider after his inswinger found Inácio in the box to head home at the far post to level matters at one-a-piece.
Edwards nearly gave Sporting the lead just minutes later after his own long-range effort tested Turner to his limits at the near post, with the United States international once again forced to concede a corner, which this time, amounted to nothing.
Arsenal nearly resorted their lead just three minutes after the restart when Gabriel Martinelli was gifted a one-on-one chance with Antonio Adán thanks to a fantastic Oleksandr Zinchenko weighted through ball, but the Brazilian international was denied by Adán’s fingertips after Martinelli attempted a close-range dink over the keeper.
22’—Sporting 0-1 Arsenal
34’—Sporting 1-1 Arsenal
55’—Sporting 2-1 Arsenal
62’—Sporting 2-2 ArsenalBack and forth in this one ♨️ pic.twitter.com/3o9PiTc7oJ
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 9, 2023
Paulinho should have bagged a brace just minutes later when he was through on goal behind Arsenal’s last line of defense but could only shockingly bend his effort over the bar. And that would come back to bite Sporting seconds later through a fluke deflection off Japanese international Hidemasa Morita after Granit Xhaka’s through ball hit the midfielder before bouncing past an already committed Adán.
Both sides exchanged half-chances for the remainder of proceedings at Estádio José Alvalade, but perhaps Amorim will feel hard done after what was a very credible performance from the home side while Arsenal will still fancy their chances of progression with the second leg at the Emirates still to come.
📰 Table Of Contents
Arsenal Player Ratings
- GK: Matt Turner – 7
- RB: Ben White – 6
- CB: William Saliba – 7.5
- CB: Jakub Kiwior – 6
- LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 6.5
- CM: Jorginho – 6.5
- CM: Granit Xhaka – 7
- CAM: Fábio Vieira – 6.5
- RW: Bukayo Saka – 7.5
- LW: Reiss Nelson – 6
- CF: Gabriel Martinelli – 7.5
- Sub: Takehiro Tomiyasu – 6.5
- Sub: Gabriel Magalhães – 6
- Sub: Thomas Partey – 6.5
- Sub: Emile Smith Rowe – 6
Expert Takes & Social Media
🚨 | Jakub Kiwior makes his debut for Arsenal tonight against Sporting CP
Mikel Arteta makes six changes from the weekend 👇🔴
XI: Turner; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Jorginho; Nelson, Fabio Vieira, Saka; Martinelli pic.twitter.com/FTGxrRZWyH
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 9, 2023
SALIBA. Arsenal take an early lead 🔫#SPOARS | #UEL pic.twitter.com/hHy8tgpaeS
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) March 9, 2023
Fabio Vieira’s delivery was brilliant & the header from Saliba, fantastic! Arsenal lead! 👌🏼
— Harry Symeou (@HarrySymeou) March 9, 2023
Only Bukayo Saka (9) has more goal assists for Arsenal in all competitions this season than Fabio Vieira (6).
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) March 9, 2023
Sebastián Coates booked for Sporting CP. He’s banned for the second leg at the Emirates.
— Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) March 9, 2023
Gonçalo Inácio is the first ever Sporting player to score against Arsenal in a major European competition.
The home side are level. 🤝#UEL
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) March 9, 2023
Strange half. Arsenal doing their best to make things difficult for themselves at the back. Not sure I’ve ever seen an official talked into giving a booking more than their keeper did for Martinelli at the end there. Awful from the ref.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) March 9, 2023
Pretty much none of Arsenal’s EL performances are really good. You can’t change six players and play really well. These games are a calculation, you bank on having enough quality to win (possibly even from the bench). But you won’t see a flowing performance.
— Tim Stillman (@Stillmanator) March 9, 2023
Sporting Clube de Portugal take the lead against Arsenal. Paulinho turns the game on it’s head. He taps home on the rebound, feel for Matt Turner there that’s the centre-backs fault opened up far too easy. Defensively Arsenal haven’t won first contact well enough this evening.
— Josh Bunting (@Buntingfootball) March 9, 2023
Gabriel Magalhaes is the glue that holds Arsenal’s back 4 together. He is the leader of the defence and without him we are half the side defensively.
— Sash ~ (@ltarsenal) March 9, 2023
