Goals:Sporting CP -Arsenal -Played on March 09, 2023
Arsenal imposed a 2-2 draw against Sporting Lisbon, Portugal, this evening, Thursday, at Jose Alvalade Stadium, in the first leg of the Europa League final.
Arsenal’s double was scored by William Saliba (22) and Hedemasa Morita by mistake (62), while Goncalo Inacio (34) and Paulinho (55) scored for the hosts.
Sporting started the match pressing, and Goncalves hit a curved ball, which passed just past the post in the fifth minute.
Arsenal responded with a first goal in the 22nd minute, when he went up passively to cross from a corner kick carried out by Vieira, and hit a header that hit the net.
Arsenal tried to add the second goal quickly in the 26th minute, with a powerful shot by Zinchenko from outside the penalty area, goalkeeper Adan shone in pushing it into a corner.
Sporting returned to try in the 34th minute, with a powerful ground strike from Iñácio from outside the area, Turner pushed it to a corner, Iñácio rose to it and hit a powerful header that hit the net, scoring the equalizer.
Sporting almost added the second goal in the 39th minute, with a powerful ground shot by Edwards from outside the area, Turner excelled in tackling it.
In the 42nd minute, Xhaka crossed from a corner kick with a header, which was blocked by Adan from the goal line, to end the first half (1-1).
Sporting started the second half with a shot from Morita from outside the area in the 47th minute, Turner grabbed it easily.
Arsenal wasted a real opportunity to score the second goal in the 48th minute, after Martinelli received a magic pass from Zinchenko, then he singled out condemnation and hit a dropped ball, the goalkeeper shone in turning it away for a corner.
Vieira followed him with a powerful ground strike from the edge of the area, which passed just past Al-Qaim.
And Arsenal continued to crawl towards the Sporting goal, with Martinelli rising to a cross from Zinchenko in the 52nd minute, hitting a header that went over the crossbar.
Sporting added the second goal in the 55th minute, when Goncalves received a pass inside the area, to hit a ball that Turner saved first, before Paulinho followed it into the net.
Arsenal almost adjusted quickly in the 59th minute, alone by Martinelli dodging through him, and before shooting into the empty net, Justi pushed the ball away to a corner.
The response came from Sporting alone also to Paulinho in front of goalkeeper Turner in the 62nd minute, but he strangely shot next to the post.
Arsenal scored the adjustment in the 62nd minute, after Xhaka sent a through ball into the area, which collided with Morita and changed direction to enter the net.
And Arsenal woke up after the amendment, by rising from Vieira to a cross, with a powerful header in the 64th minute, Adan shone in tackling it.
The artillery returned to try to snatch victory in the 71st minute, with a shot from Nelson from the edge of the area, which went wide of the goal.
Substitute Diomande fired a ground-based missile from outside the area in the 79th minute, which passed just past Al-Qaim.
In a rare appearance for Saka, the Englishman hit a ball from outside the area in the 90 + 3 minute, Adan caught it, and the match ended in a draw (2-2).
