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Arsenal forward Kai Havertz secured a dramatic stoppage-time victory as the club defeated Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Mikel Arteta’s squad entered the Jose Alvalade Stadium under significant pressure following consecutive domestic cup exits to Manchester City and Southampton.
Despite a sluggish performance that lacked offensive rhythm for much of the match, the Premier League leaders managed to “win ugly” thanks to defensive resilience and a clinical final touch.
The Gunners relied heavily on the heroics of goalkeeper David Raya, who returned to the lineup to make several world-class saves, including tipping a fierce Maxi Araujo strike onto the crossbar.
Arsenal’s attack struggled against Sporting’s disciplined defensive block, failing to register a shot on target until late in the first half.
However, the introduction of substitutes proved decisive in the closing moments when Gabriel Martinelli delivered a precise lofted pass to Havertz, who calmly slotted the ball home to stun the home crowd.
Following the match, Mikel Arteta praised his team’s mental fortitude, noting that they used the “pain” of recent defeats to grind out a vital result.
While the narrow victory makes Arsenal firm favourites heading into the second leg in London on April 15, the manager acknowledged that a higher level of efficiency will be required to claim their first-ever Champions League title.
For now, the win serves as a powerful response to critics questioning the squad’s durability as they continue to chase both European and domestic glory.
