A second-leg match at Emirates will determine the fate of the last-16 tie.
Sporting Lisbon held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in their Europa League game on Thursday. The hosts claimed a deserved draw to stay hopeful ahead of their match at Emirates.
Sporting put up a fight in Lisbon
Arsenal started the game on the front foot, taking control of the possession.
The Gunners made a few serious attempts to score an early goal but had to wait until the 22nd minute to find the back of the net.
William Saliba headed home Fabio Vieira’s corner to put the Gunners ahead. But it didn’t take the hosts too long to score the equalizer.
Goncalo Inacio made it 1-1 ten minutes after Saliba’s goal as Sporting kept Arsenal under pressure before the break.
Mikel Arteta’s tried to restore their lead at the beginning of the second period. But Sporting managed to score their second goal of the night despite being under pressure.
Matt turner managed to save Pedro Goncalves’ shot from the right side of the box. However, the rebound found Paulinho, who smashed it home from close range.
The Brazilian then missed a golden chance to put his side ahead in the 61st minute, with Arsenal finding the equalizer only a minute later.
A shot from Granit Xhaka deflected off Hidemasa Morita before reaching the lower-left corner of the net.
Mikel Arteta sent in the likes of Thomas Partey, Gabriel, and Emil Smith Rowe to complete the comeback. But the Gunners weren’t able to convert their chances and had to settle for the draw.
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