Report: Sporting 1-5 Arsenal (inc. goals)

Yesterday at 04:56 PM

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, Jesus, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri

Arsenal won their first away Champions League game in six attempts after crushing Sporting 5-1 at the Estadio José Alvalade, thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard.

Mikel Arteta made four changes to the team that beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martinelli and Havertz all coming into the side.

Ethan Nwaneri featured on the bench again after scoring his first Premier League goal on Saturday, alongside Kieran Tierney who made a Gunners matchday squad for the first time in over a year.

Arsenal started strongly with long spells of possession and pressure in the Sporting half, and needed just seven minutes to take the lead through Martinelli.

Neat interplay on the right hand side ended up with Rice finding Jurrien Timber, who sent a teasing low cross into the box (right between the goalkeeper and defenders) with Martinelli reacting quickest to tap home from close range. 1-0.

That early strike was the Gunners’ first away Champions League goal since Eddie Nketiah scored against PSV last December.

Sporting looked shellshocked by the early goal and despite settling briefly with their own spell of possession, Arteta’s men doubled their lead following another gorgeous piece of play.

After being given too much time and space in midfield, Partey found Saka in behind with a golf-like chip that caught Maxi Araujo sleeping, before beating goalkeeper Franco Israel to the ball and sliding across to Havertz for an easy tap in. 2-0.

Arsenal fashioned another chance shortly after when David Raya claimed a corner with typical ease before freeing Saka on the counter attack, who breezed past Hidemasa Morita and fired at goal, but Israel was equal to his bobbly effort.

There was time for a third goal before the break, when Gabriel escaped his marker with ease before powering home a header from Rice’s driven corner. 3-0.

It was a dominant first half from Arsenal who looked sharp, strong and clinical from the first whistle and kept Sporting (who have not lost all season) penned into their own half with no exit routes.

The hosts, however, came out quickly in the second half and scored two minutes after the restart when Gonçalo Inacio took advantage of some slack defending to bundle home from close range. 3-1.

That goal put some energy into the stadium and Sporting reacted to that, moving the ball and snapping into challenges much quicker than they did in the first half.

Arsenal, meanwhile, looked nervous and were struggling to keep possession with David Raya (booked) and Timber (not booked) both penalised for obvious time wasting.

But with 35 minutes remaining, Arteta’s men had a chance to put the game beyond doubt when Martin Odegaard advanced into the box and was fouled by Ousmane Diomande – who kicked through the Norwegian and was lucky to avoid seeing red – despite his protests.

Saka stepped up from twelve yards and buried the penalty with clinical precision, restoring the visitors’ three goal advantage. 4-1.

With the game heading towards full time, it was time to ring the changes with Mikel Merino and Trossard replacing Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ethan Nwaneri also came on for Riccardo Calafiori and Odegaard whose minutes are being sensibly managed after their returns from injury.

Two substitutes were involved in the fifth goal, when Merino blasted an effort from range that was parried by the goalkeeper before Trossard was on hand to head home from close range. 5-1.

Viktor Gyokeres struck the post late on, before some late half chances for Timber, Havertz and Trossard but this was otherwise an impressive performance from the Gunners despite a small second-half wobble.

It’s difficult to underplay the return of Odegaard who continues to dictate this team, but this was another strong team display from Arsenal who built on their win against Nottingham Forest.

Just what the doctor ordered ahead of West Ham on Saturday.

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