This was a response to accusations of being overly cautious. Arsenal's lack of sharpness on foreign soil had been the focus of pre-match discussions, but it turned out they had saved their best performance for the continent's in-form team. Sporting had no response to Arsenal's masterful first-half display, accurately reflected by goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhães, who all exploited a dangerously fragile backline.
While the hosts were briefly given hope by Gonçalo Inácio early in the second half, they faced an uphill battle. Arsenal regained control when it mattered, with Bukayo Saka's penalty and a Leandro Trossard header significantly boosting their chances of a swift passage to the knockout stage. If Saturday's straightforward win over Nottingham Forest had cleared some doubts, Arsenal arrived in Lisbon with another opportunity to erase their subpar away record in Europe.
Their performance in Europe had been underwhelming for nearly two years, and Arteta acknowledged that a change, whether by luck or strategy, was necessary. They had failed to score in their last four away matches and had won only one of their previous eight. This was their chance to make a statement, especially given Sporting's recent dismantling of Manchester City.
That night marked a poignant farewell for Ruben Amorim; now, his successor, former reserve-team coach Tiago Teixeira, was tasked with maintaining that momentum. It was halted within seven minutes, as Arsenal quickly demonstrated their intent. Jurriën Timber, set up by Declan Rice, delivered a superb low cross into the six-yard box, which Martinelli converted.
Martin Ødegaard urged his teammates to maintain their urgency and potency, recalling Sporting's ruthless response to falling behind against City. Despite Sporting's initial flurry, it wasn't long before Ødegaard's wish came true. Saka, fed by Thomas Partey, exploited Sporting's right-sided weakness, nudging the ball past goalkeeper Franco Israel for Havertz to finish easily.
The lively atmosphere was silenced, and as the half-hour mark passed, the only fireworks were those set off by the home fans. When Viktor Gyökeres tried to outpace Gabriel, the defender held firm, and the ball went out of play. After a break led by Ødegaard, Saka again exploited Sporting's weakness, forcing Israel to save his shot.
Arsenal dominated every aspect, and moments after Raya tipped over a rare Sporting chance, they secured the game. Gabriel rose to meet a high, deep corner from Rice, heading it past Israel. Arsenal had delivered a near-perfect half of European football.
The last thing they needed was unnecessary drama, but it arrived when Inácio converted a controlled volley from a corner. The crowd, recalling City's collapse, rallied. Gyökeres missed a free-kick, and Raya saved an Edwards cross. Sporting attacked in waves, but Arsenal regained order with a penalty. Ødegaard was fouled, and Saka converted. Trossard then added gloss to the scoreline.
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