November 27, 2024
We turned in one of our best away performances in the Champions League in recent memory to secure a statement win in Lisbon.
Against the reigning Portuguese champions – unbeaten all season and second in the Champions League league phase going into the game – we netted three without reply in a dominant first half. Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put us two to the good before Gabriel headed in from a corner on the stroke of half-time.
An early second-half goal from Goncalo Inacio gave the hosts brief hope, but Bukayo Saka's penalty and Leandro Trossard's late goal from a parried Mikel Merino shot gave the scoreline gloss on a remarkable night in Europe.
The travelling Arsenal supporters were left to celebrate our biggest away win in the competition since beating Inter by the same score in 2003.
Another European away day, another excitable home atmosphere to try to dampen early on, and we did just that inside the opening 10 minutes. We had started really brightly, having our first attempt on goal in the first minute, but Riccardo Calafiori's follow-up after Martinelli's cross was half-cleared went harmlessly wide.
We continued to dictate the early play – Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka combined well inside the area but the hosts scrambled away the danger.
Then came the breakthrough. Jurrien Timber found space on the right, sent in a low cross that asked questions that the Portuguese defence couldn't answer, and Martinelli stole in to score past Franco Israel and net our first away goal in the Champions League since Eddie Nketiah netted against Eindhoven in December last year.
We were good value for the lead though. Sporting – with a 100 per cent domestic record this season had barely got into our half in the first ten minutes.
It was little surprise then when we doubled the lead midway through the first half. Again the build-up came down the right, this time Thomas Partey lifted a ball over the defence for Saka to scurry onto. He stabbed the ball through the legs of the advancing keeper inside the area, and Havertz had the simple task of tapping in from a yard or two out.
The home fans started letting off fireworks inside the Estadio Jose Alvalade, but all the entertainment was being supplied by the boys in red and white. We were knocking the ball around in midfield, our movement causing no end of problems for a team that hasn't dropped a point at home in the league since the season before last.
The locals were growing increasingly restless, not used to any visiting team dominating them in this way. Their last home game in this competition don't forget, was a 4-1 dispatching of Manchester City.
And literally with the last touch of the first half, Gabriel made it 3-0. Declan Rice's swerving corner from the right was just on the money for our big Brazilian defender, arriving to power in his header at the far post. It was a near-perfect first-half display.
Sporting were simply not used to being in this position, and came out with renewed determinati
By Arsenal
