Arsenal booked their spot in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 aggregate win over Sporting CP, despite a goalless draw in their second leg tie on Wednesday night.
The Gunners went into the clash at the Emirates with a one-goal lead from last week’s first leg, after a stoppage-time goal from Kai Havertz have them the advantage.
Sporting were without a win in their last 10 away European games and the odds were hugely against them, as they visited an Arsenal side that had not lost in Europe this season.
Francisco Trincao wasted an effort to break the deadlock earlier in the encounter, before Pedro Goncalves also blasted over as Sporting were off the blocks very early as they hoped to find a way back into the clash.
Geny Catamo then struck the post as the visitors were growing into much confidence heading into the halftime break.
Sporting began the second half on top again as Maxi Araujo’s effort also flew past the goal post, before Arsenal finally grew into the game with chances of their own.
Eberechi Eze, who missed the first leg with injury, could not find the target from long range, while Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz also wasted good chances.
Leandro Trossard then headed Max Dowman’s delivery onto the post, as both sides were unable to find a breakthrough in the encounter.
The game ended goalless as Arsenal booked their spot in a second consecutive semifinal of the Champions League, where they will now face Atletico Madrid who they thrashed 4-0 earlier in the campaign.
The Spanish side edged rivals Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 defeat in the second leg to reach their first semifinal in nine years also.
Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will face-off in the other semifinal clash after their victories over Liverpool and Real Madrid respectively.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
