Kai Havertz saved Arsenal from the brink. It was a strike that overturned a team atmosphere shaken by consecutive losses, a frustrating flow that seemed headed for a goalless finish, and the burden of being the first leg away match.
Arsenal beat Sporting CP 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals of the 2025-2026 season, held Aug. 8 (Korea time) at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal. Havertz's stoppage-time theatrical goal in the second half decided the match. Arsenal will advance to the semifinals if they draw the second leg at their home ground, the Emirates Stadium, on the 16th.
The mood before the match was heavy. Arsenal had lost two consecutive matches just prior. It was the season's first losing streak. They fell to Manchester City in the League Cup final and were undone by Southampton in the FA Cup. A season that at one point had been talked about as a potential quadruple began to wobble. The Lisbon away match was a stage where a turnaround was desperately needed.
The start was nearly the worst. In the sixth minute of the first half, Sporting created the first decisive chance. Ousmane Diomande threaded an exquisite forward pass, and Maxi Araujo, cutting in from the left side, struck with his left foot. The ball hit the crossbar with David Raya unable to make a play.
Sporting's counterattacks remained sharp. Within the first 16 minutes of the first half, Arsenal conceded four shots within the first 10 minutes of a match for the first time this season. Araujo continuously broke down the left flank, while Francisco Trincão and Luis Suárez targeted the space behind.
Arsenal gradually fought back. In the 15th minute of the first half, Noni Madueke's corner kick hit the crossbar. Martín Ødegaard met the rebound and shot, but it went wide of the goal. Arsenal held the ball longer throughout the first half. The more decisive moments, however, belonged to Sporting.
With the score 0-0 in the second half, Arsenal gradually took control. Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi began circulating the ball in midfield, and Ødegaard also came to life. In the 18th minute of the second half, Zubimendi curled a shot near the penalty arc that shook the net. Arsenal players celebrated first. Video assistant referee (VAR) intervention followed immediately. Víctor Yokerees was in an offside position during the attacking build-up. The goal was disallowed.
To make matters worse, Ødegaard went down. Ødegaard, who has struggled with injuries all season, complained of ankle pain in the middle of the second half. Manager Mikel Arteta eventually took Ødegaard off in the 25th minute of the second half and brought on Havertz. He then threw the dice by bringing on Gabriel Martinelli and 16-year-old prospect Max Dowman.
In the final stages, Sporting was actually more threatening. In the 38th minute of the second half, Raya barely parried Katamú's shot, and in the ensuing scramble he threw himself again to prevent a goal. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Raya once more saved a header by Katamú off a cross from Luis Suárez. Thanks to Raya's resilience, Arsenal held on until the end.
In the end, Arsenal were the ones to smile. In the first minute of second-half stoppage time, two substitute moves combined to produce the winning goal. Martinelli threaded a clever penetrating pass into the space behind the defense. Havertz controlled it and finished with a left-foot shot after two touches. The ball slipped past goalkeeper Rui Silva into the lower left of the goal. The away fans went wild, and Havertz ran toward the Lisbon away section with his arms outstretched.
It was a cruel match for Sporting. They had been on a 17-match home winning streak. They had not lost a Champions League home match this season either. They again produced sharper counterattacks and more threatening moments that day. Araujo unsettled Arsenal's right side throughout the match, and Diomande became the starting point of attacks with excellent passes from the back. Arsenal were actually dragged along until the end of the match.
The result was an Arsenal victory. The content was unsatisfactory. Arsenal's expected goals (xG) that day were 0.78, lower than Sporting's 0.84. They held the ball for long periods but rarely created decisive chances. Still, they scored the most important, most necessary goal. What Arsenal needed was not a perfect performance but a win. Havertz delivered that victory.
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