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:
Arteta: Arsenal don’t have the experience but do have ‘full belief’
“We don’t have the experience, that’s the reality – 95 per cent of these players haven’t played this competition, they haven’t played the last 16.
“I haven’t (managed at this stage). But they have so much energy and enthusiasm to play well and that’s our desire and how we’re going to play the game.
“It’s great. We have earned the right to be here. It’s been seven years since we’ve been at the top table for these kind of matches and 14 years since we were able to go to the next stage.
“That’s the challenge. We know what is ahead of us, but we are very excited to face it and to go for it with full belief, that’s for sure.”
Progressing in Champions League is Arsenal’s ambition says Mikel Arteta
Arsenal will be firm favourites at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday night as Mikel Arteta looks to go further in the Champions League than he ever managed as a player at the club.
“They (the players) know that we have not been in the competition for seven years,” the Spaniard said.
“Obviously some of them were here and they know the story and they know that what happened in the past is irrelevant, it is the challenge and ambition that we have now to go through.”
Porto vs Arsenal prediction
Despite recent results not going their way against Porto an in-form Arsenal could well prove too much for their Portuguese opponents and take a healthy lead back to the Emirates.
Porto 1-3 Arsenal.
Porto vs Arsenal early team news
Porto have been dealt a major blow on the eve of their last-16 tie after striker Mehdi Taremi was ruled out due to an adductor injury suffered in training. The hosts will also be without Zaidu Sanusi and Ivan Marcano, while midfielder Stephen Eustaquio remains a doubt.
Arsenal, meanwhile, will hope to welcome back the quartet of Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira from injury with all four close to a return. Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber remain sidelined.
Predicted line-ups
Porto XI: Costa; Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Sanchez; Pepe, Varela, Gonzalez, Galeno; Taremi, Evanilson.
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
How to watch Porto vs Arsenal
Porto vs Arsenal is due to kick off at 8pm GMT on Wednesday 21 February at Estadio do Dragao Stadium.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can also tune in via the Discovery+ app.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Porto vs Arsenal
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action as Arsenal get their European campaign back underway.
They travel to Portugal to face Porto in the last-16 and hope to continue a run of form that has seen them win five matches in a row scoring 21 goals in the process.
The Gunners have not won away at Porto in their last three attempts but Mikel Arteta believes that his young team could get the job done tonight.
We’ll have all the action, team news and updates throughout the evening so stick around as we build up to get off at 8pm.
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