Arsenal cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening in the fifth round of the Champions League group stage.
Arsenal’s five goals came from Gabriel Martinelli in the 7th minute, Kai Havertz in the 22nd, Gabriel Magalhães in stoppage time of the first half (45+1), Bukayo Saka from the penalty spot in the 65th, and Leandro Trossard in the 82nd. Sporting’s lone goal was scored by Gonçalo Inácio in the 47th minute.
This emphatic victory temporarily moved Arsenal to seventh place in the standings with 10 points, edging ahead of Sporting and Brest on goal difference.
Sporting entered the match on the back of impressive victories in their last two rounds, defeating Sturm Graz 2-0 and Manchester City 4-1.
However, Arsenal wasted no time in asserting their dominance. In just the 7th minute, right-back Jurrien Timber delivered a precise low cross in front of the goal, allowing Gabriel Martinelli to slot it home with a single touch into the empty net.
The early goal did not slow Arsenal’s momentum, as they continued to pile pressure on Sporting’s defense. Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey came close to doubling the lead in the 20th minute with a powerful long-range shot, but it went straight into the hands of the goalkeeper.
Arsenal’s relentless pressure paid off again in the 22nd minute when Bukayo Saka capitalized on a clever pass from Thomas Partey on the right side. Saka slipped the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs, setting up Kai Havertz, who tapped it into the net from close range to double the Gunners’ lead.
Minutes later, Havertz initiated a counterattack, feeding Saka down the right flank. The winger unleashed a powerful shot in the 30th minute, but the Sporting goalkeeper was equal to the challenge, making a crucial save.
Arsenal continued to dominate, with Declan Rice finding himself inside the penalty area in the 38th minute. However, the midfielder’s careless attempt went wide of the near post. Sporting Lisbon nearly capitalized on Arsenal’s missed chances in the 44th minute when young forward Quenda fired a powerful shot, but goalkeeper David Raya parried it away for a corner.
From the resulting corner, Declan Rice delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Gabriel Magalhães rose unmarked to head the ball into the net in stoppage time, giving Arsenal a commanding 3-0 lead before the break.
Sporting responded swiftly in the second half, reducing the deficit just two minutes after the restart. Trincão delivered a precise corner kick, and Gonçalo Inácio, despite being closely marked by Arsenal’s Ricardo Calafiori, managed to nod the ball into the net at the near post.
The home side almost added another in the 48th minute, as Japanese midfielder Hidemasa Morita unleashed a fierce shot. However, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya produced a miraculous save to deny the effort and preserve his team’s two-goal advantage.
Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyökeres showed signs of danger early in the second half, breaking free from Gabriel Magalhães in the 53rd minute. However, his shot sailed over the bar, wasting a key opportunity for the home side to get back into the game.
Gyökeres tried again in the 62nd minute after receiving a pass from captain Hjulmand. Despite managing to release the shot before Magalhães could close him down, it too went high over the crossbar.
Arsenal reasserted control in the 65th minute when Martin Ødegaard was tripped in the box by Gonçalo Inácio, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Bukayo Saka stepped up and coolly converted the spot kick, restoring Arsenal’s three-goal advantage.
Mikel Arteta made changes shortly after, introducing Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard for Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli. The substitutions coincided with a slower pace from Arsenal, allowing Sporting brief moments to threaten.
The Gunners sealed their dominance with a fifth goal in the 85th minute. Merino unleashed a powerful shot from distance, forcing the Sporting goalkeeper to make a save. The rebound fell to Trossard, who calmly headed the ball into the net unchallenged.
Sporting’s Gyökeres came close to a consolation goal moments later, racing down the field on a counterattack. He evaded Jurrien Timber with skill but shot narrowly wide at the near post.
In stoppage time, Sporting pushed for a late goal. Hjulmand fired a ferocious strike from outside the area, forcing David Raya to make an acrobatic save. The resulting corner saw substitute Harder meet the cross with a strong header, but Raya was again up to the task, preserving Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory.
The results of other matches are as follows:
- Atletico Madrid 6-0 Sparta Prague
- Milan 3-2 Slovan Bratislava
- Leipzig 0-1 Inter Milan
- Red Bull Salzburg 0-5 Bayer Leverkusen
- Atlanta 6-1 Young Boys
