Sporting CP 2-2 Arsenal: Morita own goal denies hosts | UEFA Europa League
Sporting CP and Arsenal travel to London after an entertaining UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg.
key moments
22′: Saliba heads into Fábio Vieira’s corner
34′: Gonçalo Inácio looks home Edward’s corner
55′: Paulinho pushes hosts in front
62′: Morita deflects Xhaka drives past his own goalkeeper
Match in brief: Sporty show spirit before cruel blow
Arsenal survived a scare when Pedro Gonçalves missed an early chance, took the lead and struck midway through the first half when William Saliba saved a Fábio Vieira corner unchallenged. The home side, however, came into action and equalized in almost identical fashion when Gonçalo Inácio threw a Marcus Edwards corner past Matt Turner.
The tide appears to have turned completely when Paulinho converted a rebound after Turner saved Pedro Gonçalves’ shot and the hosts should have had a third when the goalscorer broke through again, only for his composure to fail him. That set the stage for a twist of fate as less than a minute later Granit Xhaka fended off Hidemasa Morita with a speculative try and left Antonio Adán stuck ahead of the second leg.
Carlos Machado, Sporting CP reporter
Rúben Amorim said Sporting had to be at their best to compete with Arsenal and they did. It was a roller-coaster game as the Lions conceded first, kept their nerve to take a 2-1 lead and missed an incredible three-point opportunity for Paulinho. Morita’s own goal was a blow to Sporting but they didn’t give up. They went the distance with Arsenal and can go to London to fight for the tie.
Lynsey Hooper, Arsenal reporter
Mikel Arteta will see Arsenal taking the draw back to London levels as an advantage. Home support has been electric this season and the Gunners will relish the opportunity to step up in front of their fans next week. There have been enough highlights in attack to suggest the Premier League leaders can get past Sporting, but there is still work to be done at the back as Arteta continues to rotate his squad.
reaction
Marcus Edwards, Sporting Forward: “It was a good game, we should have won. Now we have to do the same, play the same way, so we’re confident for the second leg.”
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal Coaches: “Considering that we conceded two goals away from home, we have to take some positive things with us. There are things to improve but we have shown a lot of resilience. We have to show it.” [next week] that we’re the better team.”
Martin Keown, BT Sport
“Arsenal have some big games ahead of them. They will be happy with the result and I think they will finish the job if they bring it home.”
Important statistics
- Sporting have lost just two of their last 16 home games in the Europa League knockout stages (W8 D6).
- However, the Lions have won just three of their last ten home games in UEFA club competition (D2 L5).
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last ten European Cup games against Portuguese opponents (W5, W4).
- The Gunners have won just one of their last eight games in Portugal in UEFA club competition against Portuguese opponents (D4 L3).
lineups
Sporty CP: Adan; St. Juste, Coates, Gonçalo Inácio; Esgaio (Diomande 76), Morita, Pedro Gonçalves, Matheus Reis; Edwards (Issahaku 89), Paulinho (Chermiti 76), Trincao (Nuno Santos 71)
arsenal: gymnast; White, Saliba, Kiwior (Gabriel 71); Nelson (Smith Rowe, 71), Jorginho (Partey, 71), Xhaka, Zinchenko (Tomiyasu, 63); Saka, Martinelli, and Fabio Vieira