Porto vs Arsenal LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as Galeno wins it with late goal
Porto 1-0 Arsenal: The Gunners suffer defeat after a superb late strike from Galeno
Arsenal suffered a heartbreaking stoppage time goal to see them lose 1-0 to Porto in a dull affair in Portugal meaning they need to come from behind at the Emirates in the second leg to make it through to the quarter-finals.
Porto have a strong record at home against Arsenal and from the off looked determined to break up the Gunners’ flow and rhythm. It was a stop-start match throughout with Porto creating the better chances as Galeno hit the post and volleyed wide of goal in the same first half attack.
With 10 minutes or so to go Arsenal looked to shut up shop and cling onto the draw - which would have been an okay result - but some sloppy play in stoppage time saw them lose possession and allowed Galeno to drive forward before whipping a wonderful finish past David Raya to earn the hosts a win.
Relive the action from the Champions League tonight plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
Kick off! Porto 0-0 Arsenal
The home side get the match underway and work the ball into the back line. A fizzing crossfield pass is drilled towards Ben White but William Saliba intercepts before the ball reaches his teammate and Arsenal take control of the ball.
Porto vs Arsenal
Here come the players.
Martin Odegaard leads out the Gunners with most of the starting XI making their debuts in the Champions League knockout rounds.
How will Mikel Arteta’s men fare tonight? Kick off is up next...
Porto vs Arsenal
At 40 years and 360 days Pepe is the oldest outfield player to start a knockout stage game in the Champions League, beating the previous record of Ryan Giggs for Manchester United against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals in April 2014 (40 years 123 days).
Bukayo Saka sets sights on first Arsenal hat-trick amid goalscoring form
Bukayo Saka is targeting his first Arsenal hat-trick after the in-form winger scored braces in back-to-back emphatic away wins for Mikel Arteta’s title challengers.
The 22-year-old and his team-mates are in electric form and followed up last weekend’s 6-0 win at West Ham by battering Burnley 5-0 on Saturday.
Saka scored a spot-kick and a goal from an open play in each of those emphatic triumphs but the academy graduate’s wait for a first Arsenal hat-trick goes on.
Bukayo Saka sets sights on first Arsenal hat-trick amid goalscoring form
Porto vs Arsenal
Porto have been eliminated from seven of their eight Champions League knockout ties against English opposition. The exception was a last-16 victory against Manchester United on their way to lifting the trophy in 2003/04.
Porto vs Arsenal
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight Uefa club competition matches against Portuguese teams with three wins and five draws.
However they were eliminated on penalties by Sporting in last season’s Europa League after 2-2 and 1-1 draws between the teams.
Arsenal have more than recent history to rewrite in Champions League
Over the past few days, some of the Arsenal squad have been playing the Champions League theme to each other.
There’s a giddiness around the travelling group, that has been amplified by the team’s raucous recent form. It is a welcome reminder of how the gravitas of the competition can still bring a simple thrill, even as it faces bigger questions.
The Arsenal players feel this is where they should be every season. Instead, Mikel Arteta has actually been preparing for the club’s first Champions League knockout tie in seven years. There is more to rectify than that underwhelming stat, though.
Arsenal have more than recent history to rewrite in Champions League
Porto vs Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s side picked up 13 points in this season’s group stage to finish four above runners-up PSV Eindhoven in Group B.
Porto managed only one point fewer in Group H but missed out on top spot by virtue of their head-to-head record against Barcelona, who beat them twice.
Porto vs Arsenal
Kai Havertz was also on target at this venue against tonight’s hosts Porto.
He struck the final goal for his previous club Bayer Leverkusen in their 3-1 win over Porto in the Europa League, back in February 2020.
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