UCL: Arsenal Held by Sporting but Edge Through to Semi-Finals on Aggregate Victory
Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals after fighting out a cagey goalless draw with Sporting at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners came into the game with a 1-0 lead from the first leg thanks to Kai Havertz’s late goal in Portugal last week and that strike was enough to see Mikel Arteta’s team take their place in the last four of the competition.
It was Arsenal who started the game in an extremely positive manner but despite having more of the ball, it was visitors Sporting who came closest to scoring in the first half.
Francisco Trincao, Pedro Goncalves and a loose pass from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya gave Sporting opportunities before Geny Catamo hit the post with a volley after Maxi Araujo found him with a cross inside the area.
The home crowd inside the stadium produced a nervy atmosphere as the game went on with the Gunners defending a slender lead and following their defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.
Araujo had Sporting’s best chance in the second period when he shot wide from inside the area while substitute Leandro Trossard hit the post with a header from a corner late on for Arsenal.
The victory over two legs means that Arsenal have reached successive semi-finals in the competition for the first time in their history and will take on Atletico Madrid for a place in the final.
