Arsenal successfully beat Sporting CP with a score of 5-1 in the matchday 5 League Phase of the 2024/2025 Champions League at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, Tuesday (11/26/2024).
Arsenal’s five winning goals were scored by Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard. Sporting had scored a goal through Goncalo Inacio.
Thanks to this result, Arsenal temporarily has the right to move up to eighth place in the standings with 10 points. On the other hand, Sporting dropped to 10th place with the same points.
Check out the full summary of the match below.
Arsenal played aggressively from the start of the match. As a result, Martinelli had managed to open the away team’s lead when the match had only been going on for seven minutes.
Arsenal’s lead increased in the 22nd minute. Through a beautiful build-up, Bukayo Saka’s assist was easily completed into a goal by Havertz.
Approaching the break, Arsenal pulled further ahead after Gabriel successfully headed Declan Rice’s corner kick into a goal. The score of 3-0 for Arsenal’s advantage became the temporary result entering the break.
Just a minute after returning from the dressing room, Sporting reduced the score through Inacio’s tap-in following a corner kick made by Trincao.
Arsenal were increasingly on top after Saka was able to increase their lead in the 65th minute through a penalty execution. Previously, Martin Odegaard was fouled by Ousmane Diomande in the penalty box.
Arsenal’s lead increased in the 82nd minute. Mikel Merino’s shot that was blocked by Franco Israel was successfully headed into a goal by Trossard. The final score of this match was 5-1 for Arsenal’s victory.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta commented on his team’s win.
“To control the game and score against a team that hasn’t lost in 18 months here – it’s not an easy task and we certainly managed to do it. Obviously, we are very disappointed with the goal from the corner. They managed to score and we could see their quality, how organised they are, how well they are trained against us,” Arteta told UEFA.com.
Arteta also discussed his team’s performances in their last two Champions League matches.
“We lost at Inter, but like against them, I was very proud of how the team played and controlled an opponent like that. So, in these two games, the results were different, but the performance showed.”
Bukayo Saka spoke about his penalty goal to make it 4-1 to Arsenal.
“I think it gave us momentum back. Against a team like this, there are always periods where you are going to be under pressure. We conceded one goal, but the rest we dealt with quite well,” Saka said.
Saka also commented on Arsenal’s end to their away goal drought in Europe.
“We knew it was a big game. We lost the last Champions League game and we haven’t won away in Europe for a long time. I can’t even remember the last time we scored away in Europe. So we went out there with a lot of confidence as if that hadn’t happened and we came out on top today. I’m really proud of that,” Saka concluded.
