Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon played to an entertaining 2-2 draw in their UEFA Europa League last 16 first-leg clash on Thursday night.
UEFA Europa League
Result: Sporting Lisbon 2-2 Arsenal
Date: 09 March 2023
Venue: Estádio José Alvalade
Mikel Arteta rang the changes after the win over Bournemouth, as goalkeeper Matt Turner and match-winner Reiss Nelson came in, while defender Jakub Kiwior was handed his debut after signing in Janury.
The home side had the first opening after six minutes when Pedro Goncalves managed to break free on goal after Jorginho's error, but he was unable to hit the target.
Arsenal got the breakthrough in the 22nd minute through William Saliba, who lost his marker to head home Fabio Vieria's corner, silencing the home crowed in the process.
Sporting got back on level terms in the 33rd minute when the Arsenal defence went to sleep and allowed an unmarked Gonçalo Inácio to head into the back of the net from a corner.
With the first half ending all square, Arsenal came out firing in the second as Oleksandr Zinchenko played in Gabriel Martinelli, who was denied by a superb save from Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adan.
Sporting went on to take the lead on 55 minutes as Turner pushed Goncalves's cross into the path of Paulinho, who made no mistake from six yards out.
However, Arsenal weren't behind for too long as Granit Xhaka's through-ball for Martinelli took a big deflection off Hidemasa Morita and sailed past a helpless Adan.
Arteta responded with a triple change for the final 20 minutes, as Thomas Partey, Emile Smith-Rowe and Gabriel Magalhães came in for Jorginho, Nelson and Kiwior.
The Gunners dominated in the latter stages of the second half as they went in search of a winning goal, but the Portuguese side defended well to hold out for the draw ahead of next week's second leg.
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