There was a temptation to fixate on the moment when Arsenal won this game with a goal that could change their season. Mikel Arteta had urged his players not to panic, not to sink away with hopes of a quadruple long gone, and Kai Havertz got the memo. Gabriel Martinelli crossed from the left and, as the ball dropped, Havertz caught the Sporting defence napping at last, controlled with a feathery touch, took a breath and rolled a finish past Rui Silva to give Arsenal victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
It had been a slog at Estádio José Alvalade. Arsenal attempted 488 passes and it was not until the first of two added minutes that they made one really count. Before then it was a grind. Arsenal were often constipated in open play. Although they controlled the game, at least until allowing it to become ragged during a fraught finale, there were long spells when the best the Premier League leaders offered was set-piece wrestling. Noni Madueke, mostly ineffective as he deputised for Bukayo Saka on the right wing, curled an early corner against the bar. Viktor Gyökeres was recorded as being on the pitch. Leandro Trossard tried to score from 40 yards. Leandro Trossard did not score from 40 yards.
Whether one belated flash of brilliance is enough to give Arsenal the belief to push on during the season’s final weeks is up for debate. Perhaps this was merely the Premier League exerting its financial might against smaller opposition. Sporting pushed during the closing stages but the strength of Arsenal’s bench told here as Havertz made the difference after replacing Martin Ødegaard in the 70th minute and Martinelli produced one of his best contributions of an inconsistent campaign after coming on for Trossard.
Even so, Arsenal would not have been in position to head into next week’s second leg with a 1-0 lead had David Raya not delivered one of those performances when it seems nothing will ever get past him.
This is not, of course, to say that Arteta’s side were lucky. An excellent goalkeeper making excellent saves owes everything to smart recruitment, not good fortune. It is also, though, a timely reminder of the importance of playing the excellent goalkeeper in the big games. Mikel: take note.
After all, the Arsenal slump is partly related to starting Kepa Arrizabalaga over Raya against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. Arrizabalaga is a capable goalkeeper but is far from flawless. There was nothing random about him making the error for City’s opener, just as there was nothing random about Raya keeping Sporting out with three huge saves.
Sporting played well. After six minutes, Ousmane Diomande played a stunning pass behind Ben White with the outside of his right boot. Arsenal were too high. Maxi Araújo sped through and it needed another look to confirm that the Uruguayan’s shot had crashed against the bar only because of the faintest of touches from Raya’s fingertips.
Sporting simmered down after that chance. Arsenal dominated possession but did not look like a team who knew how to score from open play. Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice were conservative in midfield. Ødegaard struggled to pick his passes. Gyökeres, Madueke and Trossard were a static front three.
The last time Gyökeres was here he pushed Sporting towards the title with his 53rd goal of the 2024-25 season. On his return to Lisbon, the striker barely touched the ball. It was not so much that he had a bad game, more that he was rarely involved. There was no space behind Sporting’s deep back four and with Arsenal often hesitant to aim high balls towards their target man the situation was exacerbated by Ødegaard dropping back into midfield, meaning Gyökeres was often short of a link player.
Havertz, playing more as a support striker, offered a sharper edge before ghosting in for the winner. But Arsenal were edgy. Zubimendi almost put his side in trouble with a short back pass. The midfielder looks weary. Sporting later had a chance after dispossessing the Spaniard with a ferocious press.
The Portuguese champions, formidable on home soil, finished as the stronger team. Raya blocked their path to victory. His reflexes from a Geny Catamo header were stunning. The athleticism was outstanding when he made a double save from Catamo and Luis Suárez.
Raya was the difference between victory and a third consecutive defeat. He did more than anyone to leave Arsenal in a position to reach the semi-finals. From there, it was down to Havertz to hold his nerve. Don’t panic.
These have been a fraught few weeks for Arsenal. But they remain nine points clear at the top of the league and need to use this win as a springboard for the run-in.
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