Arsenal have been set on making history this season and, in a way, they did so on Thursday night. Never before has there been a competitive shoot-out at the Emirates Stadium and, against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League, that first decider went in favour of the Portuguese team.
Gabriel Martinelli, the hero so many times this season, missed the decisive effort, ending the European dream for Mikel Arteta’s side. At the end, as Sporting celebrated, Arsenal could not complain. The visitors had been the better team, and Arsenal must now put all their focus into the Premier League. There have been moments in recent months when it has felt like the footballing gods were smiling on Arsenal.
Late winners have flown into the net, key players have remained unharmed and their remarkable league campaign has continued to capture the imagination of their supporters. Then there are nights like this, when they are reminded that top-level football is not all about dramatic goals and thrilling youngsters. Against a Sporting team of considerable cunning and tactical awareness, Arteta’s side were hit with a cold splash of reality as they were forced into extra time. Sporting are the fourth-best team in Portugal and it all seemed to be going Arsenal’s way, as expected, when Granit Xhaka gave them a first-half lead.
After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, that would have been enough. There was more reason for Arsenal to feel good about themselves, as Gabriel Jesus impressed returning from injury. With one shot from the halfway line, though, Sporting midfielder Pedro Goncalves ripped the wind from Arsenal’s sails. It was an extraordinary equaliser, out of nowhere, and it changed the dynamic of this last-16 tie.
With another Premier League match looming on Sunday, against Crystal Palace, an extra 30 minutes of football was not what Arsenal needed. There has been a shortage of “big European nights”, as Arteta put it before this match, at the Emirates Stadium in recent years. That was partly due to the pandemic, of course, but also because of Arsenal’s inability to qualify for Europe. The club were therefore keen to drum this one up, to transfer the excitement of their league form into European competition.
Before kick-off there was a light show, which added to the sense of occasion, and Arteta duly picked a stronger side than many would have expected. Naturally, the inclusion of Jesus from the start, for the first time since mid-November, provided the home crowd with a bigger boost than any flurry of flashing lights ahead of kick-off. Arsenal’s supporters had been waiting a long time for this moment and Jesus was eager to impress in the first half, as he played and pressed with all of his usual intensity.
Is it a coincidence that all of Xhaka’s goals this season have come with Jesus on the pitch? Perhaps not. It certainly feels relevant that the summer addition of Jesus helped to make Xhaka more threatening in the first part of the season, and it should also be noted that the midfielder did not score once during the Brazilian’s lengthy absence. Xhaka’s goal came despite a sluggish start by Arsenal, who had struggled to find their usual rhythm in the opening minutes.
Sporting, led by the trendy Ruben Amorim (dressed in skinny jeans and bright white trainers), are a well-drilled team and they produced some impressive football in the first half, when Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate Marcus Edwards caused problems with his pace. Defensively, Arsenal’s cause was not helped by injuries to two of their back four. Takehiro Tomiyasu, at right-back, limped off after appearing to twist his knee.
William Saliba, meanwhile, lasted only 21 minutes before he was substituted with what seemed to be a back issue. Arsenal cannot afford to be without either player, but especially centre-back Saliba, for long. Was it the absence of Saliba that led to Arsenal’s nerviness after the break? That might sound like a simplistic analysis but they certainly lacked their usual composure for large spells, to such an extent that Sporting deserved their equaliser.
The goal itself was astonishing, with Goncalves unleashing his effort from so far away that it might have been a different postcode. As the ball sailed through the air, Aaron Ramsdale backpedalled as fast as he could, before diving backwards and clutching at nothing. Such was the quality, Sporting’s substitutes flooded onto the pitch in delight.
No goalkeeper likes to be beaten from such a distance but Ramsdale at least made amends a few minutes later, when he denied Edwards – saving the shot with his face – after Arsenal’s defence had parted again. Sporting were the better team for much of the second half but extra time brought more chances for Arsenal as Leandro Trossard struck the post, Rob Holding went close and Bukayo Saka drew a late red card for Manuel Ugarte, before it was all decided on penalties.
Source: Soccanews.com
