The Portuguese champions face the Premier League leaders in this exciting encounter. The winner of this tie will play either Atletico Madrid or Barcelona in the last four of the primary European competition. Ødegaard and Goncalo Inacio captain the two teams. All eyes on Viktor Gyokeres, the former Sporting forward who had a hat-trick against Ukraine and the winning goal against Poland. He has been replaced by Colombian Luis Suarez.
Arsenal began the game in a 4-3-3 formation with Zubimendi sitting in front of the defence. However, Arsenal’s rotations are fluid as even at times, an offensive player like Ødegaard is seen dropping deep.
However, it was Sporting with an early say as Maximilliano Araujo, who was lively in the encounter against Bodø/Glimt with his strike beating Raya and rattling the crossbar. He also had another strike in the eighth minute which was wide off the mark. On the right wing, Geny Catamo showed what he was made of in the tenth minute with his quick footwork and dribbling, though Raya intercepted his cross easily.
Arsenal in the twelfth minute have kept possession of the ball at times, but as Sporting sat with the low block, Arsenal were forced to move the ball from side to side. Maybe it’s why they’ve resorted to corners and other set pieces to get chances.
Sporting when attacking seek out Araujo due to his skill on the ball. However, Madueke needs to be watched as Araujo is having trouble going back into the back five as he is higher up the pitch than the right back. Diomande has also played some good chances, like the one which sough out Araujo which he struck the crossbar.
Sporting defend with a back four, with the defence line becoming a back five when man-marking to match the front five of Arsenal. However, when building, Araujo pushes up higher than Ivan Fresneda which means Madueke has to be wary of the fullbacks abilities.
There haven’t been many chances in the first half, with Arsenal having possession of the ball but no creating many chances. Sporting have had one or two, but this was when they went long and bypassed Arsenal’s press.
No additional time, so it’s goalless at the first period. Hopefully, the second period will be more eventful.
Early in the second half, Sporting was defending with a 4-3-3 with Morita keeping Declan Rice in his cover shadow or man-marking him. However, like most of Arteta’s men, Rice’s position wasn’t fixed, as he found himself in the left back position, as well as in the midfield position later on.
Sporting defended well, with aspirations of snatching a goal by hitting the Gunners on the break.
In the sixty-third minute, Arsenal thought they took the lead through Martin Zubimendi but Gyokeres was offside in the build-up to the strike.
Arsenal commit more men forward, as they are getting closer to scoring. As aforementioned, the chaos in Arteta’s style is something to be wary of with Zubimendi dropping deep and Calafiori inverting. At times, it’s Rice who is seen on that left-hand side of the defence.
The Gunners have dominated the game in terms of possession, but Sporting have been resolute defensively so far. Geny Catamo in the eighty-third minute almost made 1-0 to Sporting but for an excellent reach from David Raya.
Sporting with three minutes to go hit Arsenal on the counter with Raya on hand to handle another strike from Catamo.
The goal came in the first minute of additional time as Martinelli found Kai Havertz as the former Chelsea man got a goal which will get Arsenal the advantage going into the second leg.
FULL-TIME! 1-0 to the Gunners as they take this slender lead to the Emirates.
Ore M. 
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