Arsenal couldn’t win at Sporting, but the fans weren’t bored

Arsenal only drew in their opening Europa League semi-final clash. After a four-month break, they visited Sporting Portugal, where William Saliba scored the away goals and Hidemasa Morita scored an own goal. Inacio Goncalo and Paulinha scored for the home side.

The North London players were unable to repair the reputation of the English. In the autumn, the squad of coach Rubén Amorino played in the Champions League group stage. They beat rival Tottenham 2-0 at home (the return leg was a 1-1 draw).

The visitors entered today’s match as we know them in the current season. They were confident on the ball, trying to create goal scoring opportunities by successive combinations. However, Sporting threatened from counter-attacks.

The score of today’s encounter was opened by Gunners’ midfielder William Saliba, who pounced on a precise centre from a corner by Reiss Nelson in the twenty-second minute.

However, the cashed goal didn’t put the home team down, on the contrary they tried to get back into the match. And they did, again thanks to a corner kick. Goncalo Inacio cleared a precise ball from midfielder Marcus Edwards with a header behind goalkeeper Matt Turner. The game was then tied 1-1.

After the break, the Premier League leaders turned up the intensity. But after a miscue in their own penalty area and a Paulinho save, the home side took a 2-1 lead.

After that goal, the game opened up even more and the chances started to come. First, Martinelli failed to score after a great individual action, then Palinha, the scorer of the second goal of the home team, threw away a good opportunity.

In the 62nd minute the score was level again. An inaccurate pass by Granit Xhaka was crossed by Hidemasa Morita. Coach Mikel Arteta also intervened, sending on Gabriel, Thomas Partey and Emil Smith-Rowe.

This was the last moment, however, after which the net opened up. The match therefore ended 2-2 and both teams will go into the rematch with an equal chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

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