Arsenal 1-1 Sporting (agg. 3-3, Sporting win 5-3 on penalties)

Sporting tonight wrote a golden page in their history by knocking English Premier League leaders Arsenal out of the Europa League, going through on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time, and 3-3 aggregate score.

Sporting started confidently, but fell behind to a Granit Xhaka goal. The Portuguese team did not wilt though, more than matching Arsenal and drawing level through a sensational Pedro Gonçalves goal with a shot from near the halfway line (pictured). Marcus Edwards missed a great chance to win it in normal time, Aaron Ramsdale coming out on top in a one-on-one.

Only in extra time did Arsenal, having brought on their big guns, force Sporting into defence, with Adán making some brilliant saves, and the Spaniard was the hero in the penalty shootout, saving from Gabriel Martinelli, leaving Nuno Santos to score the winning spot kick and spark wild celebrations among the large contingent of travelling supporters. 

Sporting confident from the off

Despite Sporting’s much improved form of late, the feeling among the Sportinguistas was that their team’s big chance had been blown when Paulinho skied a shot when clean through that would have put the Green and Whites 3-1 up in the first leg in Lisbon last week, the game eventually ending 2-2.

Suspensions to captain Sebastián Coates and Hidemasa Morita forced Rúben Amorim into two changes in relation to the first leg, Ousmane Diomandé and Manuel Ugarte coming into the line-up.

Sporting started confidently, hogging possession and ensuring most of the play was in Arsenal’s defensive half of the pitch in the opening 20 minutes, albeit without creating any clear chances.

The good work was undone however, as Esgaio mistimed an attempted interception of a through ball to Martinelli leaving the Brazilian with a clear run on goal. António Adán saved his shot but the rebound fell to Xhaka who smashed a cross-shot into the net.

Arsenal were buoyed by the goal Gabriel Jesus and Martinelli causing panicky moments in the Sporting back line, but gradually the visitors again got a foothold in the match. A long clearance by Adán set Marcus Edwards driving towards goal, the Englishman seemingly through but Zinchenko recovered well to intercept his shot.

Jesus then showed neat footwork in the box, forcing a sharp save out of Adán. But Sporting refused to lie down, St. Juste going on an audacious run straight through the middle, but his shot was way over the bar.

Sporting step it up in the second half

If Sporting had shown courage in the first half, in the second they added composure and creativity, putting in a superb 45 minutes of football during which they were the superior team.

Ugarte and Pedro Gonçalves were winning the midfield battle, and the latter produced a moment of pure genius to get Sporting level. Picking up the ball on the halfway line, Pote took one look up, saw Ramsdale off his line and produced an astonishing shot that sailed over the furiously retreating goalkeeper and just under the bar. Cue the first moment of bedlam among the 3000 Sporting fans.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta had seen enough, bringing on international stars Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka, but Sporting continued to play their football showing wonderful personality.

On 72 minutes the away team had a great chance to take the lead. Ricardo Esgaio cut infield and played a perfect diagonal ball into the path of Marcus Edwards who was clean through with just Ramsdale to beat. Edwards was unable to find a composed finish, going for power instead with the goalkeeper keeping it out with his face.

Amorim made his first substitution only in the 90th minute, Youssef Chermiti replacing Paulinho.

Arsenal turn the screw

Extra time was a different story, with the home team, roared on by the big crowd, at last starting to apply consistent pressure. A mistake by Sporting substitute Dário Essugo gave Leandro Trossard a clear run on goal, but Adán came up with a big save, getting a strong hand on the shot to push it against the post.

Arsenal were now pushing Sporting further and further back towards their own goal, especially after the introduction of star man Martin Odegaard.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and goalkeeper António Adán, who has endured a poor season with multiple mistakes, chose the right time to rediscover his very best form. The Spaniard saved brilliantly from Gabriel Magalhães twice in quick succession, and his hero status would be cemented in the shootout.

Ugarte wiped out Saka to pick up his second yellow card and subsequent red, but there was not enough time for Arsenal to take advantage, the referee blowing the final whistle shorty afterwards.

All of Sporting’s first four penalty takers, St. Juste, Esgaio, Inácio and Arthur Gomes found the net, and after Adán had thwarted Martinelli it was left for Nuno Santos, in keeping with Sporting’s overall display, to confidently dispatch the winning kick and seal victory.

Analysis: enjoy the moment... while we can 

Quite beyond the excellent scalp of knocking out the best team in England right now, it was the manner of the victory that makes it such a memorable night for Sporting fans.

Save the final 10 minutes, this was no backs-to-the-wall luck-laden triumph. A young Sporting team showed remarkable character all night long, never abdicating their natural passing game, taking risks, and refusing to be bullied by big-name players or an apparent gulf in class.

Rúben Amorim has already built himself a fine reputation in Europe, and this result will only add to the list of suitors from prestigious clubs eyeing up the Portuguese coach. The cohesiveness, calmness and skill of Sporting’s collective performance tonight speaks volumes of Amorim’s ability to formulate a game plan and get his players to carry it out.

Individually, several players also enhanced their reputation no end. Manuel Ugarte, despite his late red card, put in a monstrous shift, Gonçalo Inácio and St. Juste were rocks at the back and contributed generously going forward, teenager Diomandé belied his lack of elite-level experience by not putting a foot wrong, while Pedro Gonçalves, quite apart from his stupendous goal, will surely have come onto the radars of many a top team after his two performances against Arsenal this last week.

As ever, the joy of Sporting’s night will be somewhat tempered by the knowledge their top talents – on the pitch and in the dugout – are now a step closer to being poached. But for now, Sporting fans will bask in the glory of a European night that will be talked about for years to come.

By Tom Kundert

Goals:

[1-0] Xhaka, 19'

[1-1] Pedro Gonçalves, 62' 

 

Comments (7)

This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

What an incredible result for sporting! This is going to help Portugal stay ahead of the Dutch in the club coefficient.

JoeSugins
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I went to watch Sporting tonight. My sister just happened to be friends with someone who got us free tickets who worked there. I generally had no expectations of us going through which was great because it made our win so much sweeter but man the...

I went to watch Sporting tonight. My sister just happened to be friends with someone who got us free tickets who worked there. I generally had no expectations of us going through which was great because it made our win so much sweeter but man the way we battled for every ball, got a little bit of luck where the rebounds just happened to go back to us time after time and the way our players were so aggressive at the end just doing foul after foul to stop them building anything when they put Saka and the rest on.

I have to say St. Juste for me was amazing in person, I was so lucky I was sitting in row 15 on the side of both goals, Pedro Goncalves goal... just wow I told myself I wouldn't celebrate if we scored but I couldn't hold myself, I just couldn't believe it. What a goal. I didn't even celebrate when we won the shootouts lol, not even the Adan save, but Pote's goal even if I was standing with Arsenal ultras I don't think I could have stopped myself.

I told myself it was worth going to that game simply because of that goal, then 90 mins were up and I was extremely proud of our team even if we lost in extra time or penalties.

Also I'm sure I saw Tom Kundert there or someone with striking resemble. I sat beside the media people and I kept thinking I swear this guy looks familiar, when we scored I know 2 or 3 people jumped up from the media seats. I just couldn't read his name tag when he went up and down the stairs.

The entire games we battled like warriors, Adan. BRAVO what a game, what a performance. The failures in the Champions League are forgiven for tonight's performance it was 10/10 from him. Even his save that sadly lead to their goals, he did his best.

Even the penalties were going for us. I couldn't believe Ramsdale didn't save Inacio's one as it was a pretty bad penalty. There were two bad penalties, Adan saves the easiest one and Ramsdale that he should of saved.

Happy for the boys, we played much better tonight than we did at home. I almost forgot, our away fans were putting in 200% effort how I wish I was with them, they really were our 12th man.

I've only been to Sporting games 3 times, all of them ended in draws. Martimo away and Nacional away when Liedson still played and tonight, without doubt this is was best game, both teams played great football. I hope to see Sporting play one day at home. I want to experience the atmosphere in our favour. The Arsenal fans put out a decent support but nothing compared to our away fans.

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Joao
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Nice, wish I could've witnessed Pote's goal

Samuel
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Fully deserved. Over the 90 minutes Sporting were the better side, they do need to work on finalizing their plays however. Ramsdale should have been tested on a few occasions but dangerous kept ending before a shot in target could be had.

After...

Fully deserved. Over the 90 minutes Sporting were the better side, they do need to work on finalizing their plays however. Ramsdale should have been tested on a few occasions but dangerous kept ending before a shot in target could be had.

After the 90 Arsenal took control, as Sportings players seemed to begin losing gas (understandable, the Portuguese league doesn’t quite offer this type of intensity often enough for them to be used to it).

Very well earned win and great for Portugal. If only the Dutch teams didn’t all go through today

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Nunogomes21
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Boa vitoria

BJRMB
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Brilliant performance! Congrats to Sporting, and all Sporting fans. It was a well-deserved win. Adan played out of his skin and Pote was a maestro. Credit also to Ugarte who popped up all over the place, to Inacio and St Juste, who not only...

Brilliant performance! Congrats to Sporting, and all Sporting fans. It was a well-deserved win. Adan played out of his skin and Pote was a maestro. Credit also to Ugarte who popped up all over the place, to Inacio and St Juste, who not only played great at the back but also buried their penalty kicks. And special mention to Nuno Santos who looked like a man possessed taking the final pk.

If Sporting can take out Arsenal, they can win the whole thing, which would be brilliant, not only for Sporting's history but also in case they finish out of the UCL spots, they gain qualification as Europa League winners. Hope they can win it all.

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Chris
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Absolutely incredible win and performance from Sporting! This is what we can do and should do consistently! Credit to the whole squad and to Ruben Amorim showing once again that is one of the best new managers in the world! Sporting always had...

Absolutely incredible win and performance from Sporting! This is what we can do and should do consistently! Credit to the whole squad and to Ruben Amorim showing once again that is one of the best new managers in the world! Sporting always had the talent we showed it even in the CL where we should've progressed knocking out Tottenham, but small lapses defensively cost us and maybe some managerial naivety from Amorim. Either way this squad from the manager to the players have shown that they have learnt from their mistakes and they have become galvanized to push on and make the best finish they can to this season!

Really proud of Pote been top class again this whole season and I hope he gets they hype and recognition he deserves soon he should be in the national team and soon he should get a big move abroad as well. And really proud of Inacio he has shown that he has come of age, and has shown he's got the mental concentration now to go along with all his physical prowess speed and skill as well. He can become truly one of the best center backs in the world. Ugarte top class holding mid he's showed it time and again.

Really proud of the team and I think we can do even more and continue to progress! Let's go Sporting!

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Eddie
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