- Arsenal’s commanding 5-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon strengthened their bid for the UEFA Champions League last 16.
- Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhães were on the scoresheet, while Bukayo Saka’s penalty and Leandro Trossard’s late goal sealed the dominant win.
- This win marked Arsenal’s first away victory in the Champions League in six attempts and ended a three-match winless run in all competitions.
- Arsenal’s third win in five matches lifted them to seventh in the revamped Champions League, with the top eight qualifying automatically for the knockout stages.
- Sporting suffered their first European defeat this season, dropping below Arsenal in the standings.
Arsenal delivered a masterful 5-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday, reigniting their Champions League campaign and bolstering their hopes of advancing to the last 16. This performance came after a much-needed 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, which ended a three-match winless streak. At the José Alvalade Stadium, Mikel Arteta’s side put on a dazzling display of attacking football, dominating from the start.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring just seven minutes in, finishing off a well-weighted low cross from Jurrien Timber. Arsenal doubled their lead in the 22nd minute with Kai Havertz scoring from close range after a precise pass from Bukayo Saka. Gabriel Magalhães then added a third goal just before halftime, heading in a corner from Declan Rice to give Arsenal a commanding 3-0 lead.
Sporting briefly responded in the second half, with Gonçalo Inácio pulling one back within two minutes of the restart. However, Arsenal quickly restored their advantage when Saka converted a penalty in the 65th minute after a foul on Martin Ødegaard. Leandro Trossard rounded off the victory in the 82nd minute, nodding in a rebound after Sporting goalkeeper Franco Israel spilled a shot from Mikel Merino.
This victory was Arsenal’s first away win in the Champions League in six attempts, a welcome response after a disappointing loss to Inter Milan in their previous European match. The win also marked Arsenal’s third in five group-stage matches, propelling them into seventh place, with the top eight teams progressing directly to the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, Sporting, previously unbeaten in Europe this season, dropped to second in the group, now behind Arsenal on goal difference.
