Kai Havertz scored a stoppage-time winner as Arsenal overcame a difficult night to beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday.
The victory comes after back-to-back domestic defeats to Manchester City in the League Cup final and Southampton in the FA Cup, marking the first successive losses of Arsenal’s season. Despite a below-par performance, Havertz’s clinical finish ensured Mikel Arteta’s men take a narrow advantage to the second leg in North London on April 15.
David Raya made key saves, while Arsenal’s substitutes, including Gabriel Martinelli, played a pivotal role in the late winner. The Gunners, sitting nine points clear atop the Premier League, are now well-placed to challenge for their first UCL semi-final since 1983.
