Despite a largely disjointed and uninspired performance for much of the match, Arsenal managed to leave Lisbon with a valuable advantage. Just as the game appeared destined for a goalless draw, a rare moment of brilliance from two substitutes decided the outcome.

Barely ten seconds into stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli drove down the left wing, cut inside, and threaded a pass into the penalty area. Kai Havertz timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, controlled the ball cleanly with his right foot, and then curled a left-footed shot into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Rui Silva with no chance.

This late, yet crucial goal not only secured a narrow victory but also extended Arsenal's unbeaten run in the Champions League to 11 matches, comprising 10 wins and one draw. The London club also became the first team to triumph at Sporting's home ground in this season's Champions League. More importantly, they now hold a significant advantage heading into the return leg at the Emirates Stadium in one week.

Kai Havertz scores in stoppage time.

Helping Arsenal defeat Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Jose Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal on 7/4. Photo: Reuters, AP

Arsenal traveled to Lisbon under pressure, having lost their two recent matches: a 0-2 defeat to Man City in the League Cup final and a 1-2 loss to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Coach Mikel Arteta also faced a depleted squad, with Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapie, and Mikel Merino absent due to injuries.

This anxiety seemed to impact their play, as Arsenal started slowly, struggling to control the midfield and create clear opportunities from open play.

In contrast, Sporting played with enthusiasm, fueled by their home crowd, and launched successive attacks. In the 6th minute, Ousmane Diomande's through ball sliced through Arsenal's defense, allowing Maximiliano Araujo to enter the penalty area and unleash a powerful shot. Goalkeeper David Raya managed a slight touch to deflect the ball onto the crossbar. Two minutes later, Trincao's free-kick was blocked by the Arsenal wall, the rebound fell to Araujo, who again missed, firing over the bar.

Arsenal gradually gained control of the game but remained ineffective. In the first half, "the Gunners" managed only three shots, with an expected goals (xG) statistic of 0,09. Across all competitions this season, Arsenal had a worse xG in the first half only once: a 1-0 victory over Brighton in the 29th round of the Premier League – a match where opponents accused them of time-wasting and anti-football – with 0,01 xG.

The most notable chance for Sporting occurred in the 15th minute, when Noni Madueke's inswinging corner from the right wing struck the crossbar. After the ball rebounded, Martin Odegaard rushed in for a follow-up shot from about 12 meters, but under tight marking, he shot wide of the goal.

The second half saw a similar pattern, with Arsenal struggling to break the deadlock and continuing to rely on individual moments of brilliance. In the 63rd minute, Martin Zubimendi curled a right-footed shot from outside the box into the host's net. However, VAR intervened and disallowed the goal due to Viktor Gyokeres being offside in the build-up.

The remaining time brought heart-stopping moments for Arsenal fans. In the 83rd minute, Luis Suarez – the striker signed by Sporting to replace Gyokeres – dribbled past Riccardo Calafiori on the right wing and delivered a cross. Geny Catamo leaped to head the ball towards the near post, but Raya reacted quickly to make a crucial save for the visitors.

In the 87th minute, Catamo squandered another opportunity, his right-footed shot failing to beat Raya. The Spanish goalkeeper initially spilled the ball but recovered in time to prevent a Sporting follow-up shot before Zubimendi cleared it strongly out wide.

Having weathered a challenging period, Arsenal found the decisive goal in stoppage time. The 1-0 victory gives "the Gunners" confidence as they look ahead to their next match against Bournemouth in the 32nd round of the Premier League on 11/4.

Hong Duy