- Lose 5-4 on penalties to Sporting Lisbon
- As Gabriel Martinelli misses in a shootout
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – On a night that Manager Mikel Arteta was forced into two injury substitutions inside the first half, losing two key defenders in Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba, Premier League leaders, Arsenal, endured a miserable evening as they crashed out of this year’s Europa League.
Hosting Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium in the Europa League last-16 second leg on Thursday, the Gunners’ injury worries worsened as Arteta had to also withdraw Gabriel Jesus at half-time following a three-month lay-off due to a knee injury.
In what clearly proved a painful penalty shootout defeat to Sporting CP, Mikel Arteta’s side had initially looked to be on their way to a comfortable victory when Granit Xhaka gave them a first-half-lead, putting them 3-2 ahead on aggregate after the 2-2 first leg draw in Lisbon last week.
But the visitors produced a superb second-half display and deservedly drew level thanks to a stunning equaliser from Pedro Goncalves, who lobbed Aaron Ramsdale from just inside the Arsenal half to take the game into extra time.
The hosts dominated the extra 30 minutes, but couldn’t find a way past the exceptional Antonio Adan, who pushed a Leandro Trossard shot onto the post before making two excellent stops to deny Gabriel Magalhaes.
The 35-year-old Sporting keeper was then the hero in the shootout, saving Gabriel Martinelli’s penalty as the visitors won 5-4 on spot kicks to reach the quarter-finals.
The defeat will sting even more than it otherwise would have due to the injuries sustained by the premiership leaders in the first half.
As rain drenched North London and one corner of the Emirate ground ignited in green smoke and white firecrackers, the television cameras panned to a young Arsenal supporter, who stood motionless; hood up, mobile phone in hand, and mouth wide open.
Indeed, it was a portrait of shock, awe, and grudging admiration that encapsulated the mood around the arena moments after Pedro Goncalves collected possession on the halfway line, looked up, and floated a shot towards the Arsenal goal.
This was just beyond the hour mark and, briefly, time stood still while the ball drifted 45 yards high with Keeper Aaron Ramsdale scrambling and backtracking to no avail towards his own goal in a bid to stop the ball that finally rested in the Gunners’ net to keep the scores at one-all even after the extra-time.
In the resultant penalty shootouts, Gabriel Martinelli was the unfortunate fall guy. The visitors’ heroic captain, Antonio Adan, made the vital save of his spot-kick, which was Arsenal’s fourth to cap off a superb display on the night.
And so it was heartbreak at the end of a long and bruising night for Arsenal. Of course, this is not what they needed at the start of four pivotal days, which could end with them eight points clear atop the Premier League. – With agency reports
