Welcome to Sportstar’s highlights of the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 match between Sporting CP and Arsenal, being played at the Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon.
Full-Time! Sporting CP 2-2 Arsenal
We are almost done with the first leg and when you, if at all, tell your friends and kids about this match, tell them that the match had everything, goals, close fouls, loads of substitutes and an own goal that will see both sides go all square in the second leg.
Meanwhile, Saka beats his marker and tries a shot from outside the box but Adan says no thank you with another regulation save.
Last minute of regulation time and Arsenal is still looking desperate for a gap in the defence and Sporting catches Arsenal napping. Fatawu makes a run along the right flank and Tomiyasu shows whose boss with a timely challenge getting the ball out of danger.
Viera tries to make a run with the ball, loses it in the Sporting Box and tries to hold on to the defender, falls to the ground appealing for a penalty and the reefree smiles and rules nothing -- exactly what the difference has been between the two sides with the score 2-2 at the moment.
The match has transgressed from being an end-to-end battle to a pinball in midfield and the referee, too, look to yawn mentally as the ball moves around the park in the doldrums of football.
Ben White goes down after Pedro Gonzalves misses the ball entirely and takes down the Arsenal defender and Smith-Rowe’s free-kick hits the wall. The referee sees a push on a Sporting player and gives them a free-kick. Uno reverse -- nothing comes of that free-kick either.
Arsenal decides to get into Fergie zone or whatever the Ginner version of that is, and Xhaka tries a shot on goal, but the linesman has the flag raised - the real red flag for Arsenal tonight as no further development happens in that attack.
Thomas Partey akes the field and chooses war right away. He makes a heavy tackle on St. Juste and the fans whistle, asking the referee to stop play. The ref does stop, but after a conversation with St. Juste rules to continue the play.
Arsenal manager Arteta decides to make full use of substitutes and makes this match look like a testimonial with three substitutes ready to come on. Martinelli, Jorginho and Kiwior are replaced Smith-Rowe, Partey and Gabriel, respectively.
There are questions that come into play here. How important are away goals in Europa League? Well, find out here. Arsenal fans have found their voice as they have clawed back into the game with an own goal from a mistake. Football can be unforgiving at time, mate.
The match keeps on giving! Tomiyasu makes a run along the left flank and crosses for Viera, who heads the ball on target and Adan is busy practising strerching in a Europa League match. That, apparently pays off as he saves on full-stretch to deny a lead for the travelling Gunners.
62’ Goal! SCP 2-2 ARS
Martinelli decides enough is enough. Leaves the entire squad in his own half and marauds into the opposition box as Sporting keeps thinking what the hell is happening to the Brazilian but the hosts finally decide to chuck the heroics with a last-minute challenge.
55’ Goal! Paulinho scores for Sporting
Nelson, Xhaka and Zincheko combine along the right side of the final third as the ball is crossed to Martinelli in the centre. However, the Brazilian’s header is just high as it flies over the net for a goal-kick.
Save! Zinchenko threads a lovely ball for Martinelli in the box, who is clearly on-side. He tries to dink it over Adan, but the Spoting keeper makes a good save and in the follow-up Fabio Viera shoots from outside the box which whizzes past the post. That ball was travelling!
Chance! Turner puches the ball away after a shot from Trincao and it falls for Morita who shoots with the outside of his right foot, forcing another save by Turner.
Second-half begins!
An entertaining half comes to an end.
Let off for Arsenal! Paulinho nicks the ball from Saliba from a Turner back pass but the loose ball doesn’t find a Sporting attacker and Turner collects the ball.
Adan goes down after colliding with Nelson, who looks to get on the end of an inviting cross by Xhaka into the box.
Four minutes of added time.
Martinelli down the left wing and swings in a cross to the far post for Saka but the Englishman can’t keep the ball in play.
Martinelli is booked by the referee for knocking the ball out of Adan’s hand.
Another corner and Arsenal come close to scoring again through Xhaka, whose header is clutched on the line by Adan.
Marcus Edwards with a fierce hit from distance which Turner does well to force it behind with a strong fist.
Vieira swings in a cross into the box but Xhaka’s cushioned header is intercepted by Sporting.
GOAL! Inacio has his goal! Another goal from a corner! Inacio comes flying in and gets on the end of the ball ahead of Kwior and glances it into the corner of the net.
Inacio fires in a low sbhot from distance which Turner psuhes it behind for a corner.
Edwards slips in a through ball into the Arsenal box but Turner rushes out to collect the pass.
At the other end. Edwards loops in a high cross which doesn’t have any takers from a Sporting forward as it flashes past the goal.
Zinchenko’s free-kick is blocked by the wall but he lashes at the rebound which requires a palm from Adan in goal to push it behind for a corner.
Coates concedes a free-kick just outside Sporting’s box.
GOAL! Saliba scores for Arsenal! Vieira swings in an inswinging corner and Salibais unmarked to head it home! A scuffle breaks out inside the Sporting box post the goal with the home side not happy about Zinchenko bringing a player down. Sporting’s Coates is booked in the process and will miss the second leg.
Vieira’s foot is trudged on by Trincao. Foul inside Sporting’s half.
Paulinho brings down Saliba on the ball and the referee blows the whistle for a foul against the Sporting forward.
Sustained period of possession from Arsenal. Xhaka sets up Nelson at the edge of the box but his shot is blocked.
Juste plays a one-two on the right and surges down the flank but his cross is cut out by an Arsenal defender.
Trincao runs on to the end of a ball behind Arsenal’s defence, cuts inside but fluffs his shot. The ball goes wide of the far post.
Well-worked move from Arsenal through the right with Nelson swinging in a high cross into the box but Martinelli can’t get the right connection.
Martinelli kicks things off for Arsenal.
Teams make their way out to the middle.
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard and defender Kieran Tierney are left out of the squad due to illness.
Reiss Nelson, who scored a dramatic match-winner at the weekend against Bournemouth, is rewarded with a start in what is six changes for Mikel Arteta’s side.
LINE-UPS
Sporting XI: Adan; St. Juste, Coates, Inacio; Esgaio, Pote, Morita, Matheus Reis; Edwards, Paulinho, Trincao
Arsenal XI: Turner; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Jorginho; Nelson, Fabio Vieira, Saka; Martinelli
Comments
SHARE