Arsenal reach the last 32 of the Europa League but Danny Welbeck and Stephan Lichtsteiner suffered injures
Updated
Thu 8 Nov 2018 17.07 EST
First published on Thu 8 Nov 2018 13.59 EST
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Petr Cech's verdict
“It was [a frustrating game] because they defended well. We created half-chances ... we played well at the back and didn’t really allow them any chances. But it took us a while to open them up. This is the kind of game where you need to score an opportunity but we didn’t. It’s disappointing to have dropped two points .... and mainly we lost two players today. Danny’s looks like a serious injury.”
He also pays tribute to Sporting: “It was down to them. They were organised and played very hard and they have very good players aswell. We lacked a little bit the killer pass.”
Full-time: Arsenal 0-0 Sporting
Arsenal have reached the next round of the Europa League and their unbeaten streak goes on but this was an otherwise frustrating day for them, as Sporting shut them out fairly comfortably. In fact, it was more than frustrating because Arsenal lost Danny Welbeck to what appeared to be a serious lower leg injury - the forward was in pain as he departed on a stretcher. They also lost Lichtsteiner to a suspected hamstring strain.
90+5 min: Cech totters out of his box to intercept a pass by Dost as Sporting threatened to strike on the counter.
90+3 min: Arsenal have at least two more minutes to penetrate a defence that remains defiant despite the loss of Mathieu.
90+1 min: Ramsey over-elaborates to the consternation of teammates awaiting a cross in the middle.
89 min: Aubameyang curls the freekick several yards over the bar.
Red Card!
88 min: Mathieu sent off for tripping Aubameyang at the edge of the area after Sporting’s defence was wrongfooted by a shoddy backpass by Fernandes! What a calamity for the visitors, who had defended excellent up till then, with Mathieu the best of them.
86 min: Sporting continue to defend steadfastly and Arsenal still can’t find the precision or ingenuity to infiltrate them.
Sporting substitution: Petrovic on, Luis off
Sporting substitution: Cabral on, Diaby off.
83 min: Iwobi finds he overlapping Kolasinac with a fine cross. The left-back’s dangerous low cross is cut out.
82 min: Slick work by Iwobi in the box, dancing between two defenders and then stabbing a low ball towards the six-yard box. Mkhitaryan diverts it goalward but not with enough power to beat the keeper.
80 min: Kolasinac’s cross from the left is headed away by Mathieu.
76 min: No sooner had I finished writing the previous line, than Diany led a counter-attack and unloaded a powerful shot from 20 yards. It was blocked but Sporting regained possession and continued to apply pressure until winning a corner, which they wasted.
75 min: With Vorskla trailing at home to Qarabag, a draw here could be enough to put Arsenal into the next round. But Emery’s gesticulations on the sidelines suggest he wants more. They certainly don’t look like getting less, as Sporting have practically no threat going forward.
74 min: Luis booked for a decent tackle on Sokratis near half-way.
72 min: Lichtsteiner pulls up as he ran to collect a pass. That seems to be a hamstring injury. The Swiss is going to have to be replaced. Arsenal were readying Nketiah but, following Licthsteiner’s injury, will instead introduce Maitland-Niles.
70 min: It’s in matches like this that Ozil normally comes to the fore for Arsenal.
Sporting substitution: Dost on, Montero off.
68 min: Iwobi tries this luck from 20 yards but lofts the ball high over the bar.
66 min: The 6,000-or-so Sporting fans continue to party in the stands while their team continue to hold a labouring Arsenal side at bay.
64 min: A stoppage in play so that Montero can receive treatment after being winded by a wayward pass from Guendouzi.
62 min: Smith-Rowe slips it wide to Gunedouzi, whose cross from the right is punched away by Ribeiro.
Arsenal substitution: Kolasinac on, Jenkinson off to appreciate claps.
59 min: Aubameyang bangs another one into the sidenetting from a 45 degree angle.
58 min: Solid defending by Sporting to stop Mkhitaryan from breaking through. Nani collects the ball on the edge of his own box and carries it forward to the edge of Arsenal’s before Lichtsteiner puts an end to his mischief.
57 min: Ramsey nips a possible Sporting breakaway in the bud with a good sliding tackle on Diaby.
54 min: Smith-Rowe flies down the left and skitters into the box. Then he hangs up a useful cross towards Aubameyang, who gets a header on it but not a clean one. The ball skims off the top of his head and drops wide.
52 min: Arsenal remain on top but Sporting remain vigilant. The stalemate continues.
51 min: News on Welbeck is that he has been taken to hospital for an x-ray.
48 min: Sporting raid down the left and send a deep cross over to Diaby, whose volley clatters into the arm of Jenkinson, who was just a yard away. No penalty.
47 min: Jenkinson essays a volleyed blaster from 30 yards, following on from his wayward drive from similar range in the first half. This one was even farther off the target, as he actually hit it backwards towards the halfway line. Third time lucky?
46 min: Off we go again before most of the Arsenal fans have regained their seats. Thy nearly missed the breakthrough goal, but Aubameyang fired into the sidenetting after a cross by Mkhitaryan.
Have a gander at reports on Rangers’ and Chelsea’s matches:
Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Sporting
It’s been dull. Arsenal have dominated but not been able to penetrate a disciplined but limited Sporting team. The half could be described as a non-event if not for the sad injury to Welbeck, who was carried off on a stretcher in pain after suffering a what seemed to be a serious injury to his ankle or lower leg as he landed following a header.
45+3 min: Aubameyang dinks over a tasty cross from the right. Lichtsteiner can’t get a firm header on it.