Porto 1-0 Arsenal - Galeno stunner snatches late win for home side against Gunners in UEFA Champions League
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Updated 22/02/2024 at 00:26 GMT
Arsenal will welcome Porto to the Emirates in just under three weeks’ time with their UEFA Champions League fate hanging in the balance after Wenderson Galeno scored a sensational stoppage-time winner. Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession for large swathes of the encounter but Porto looked threatening throughout and with the tie deep in stoppage time Galeno snatched a win for the hosts.
Highlights: Brilliant stoppage-time Galeno strike stuns Arsenal
Galeno struck a sensational stoppage-time winner as FC Porto secured a 1-0 victory over a toothless Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at the Estadio do Dragao.
The Portuguese hosts saw little of the ball in the early stages but should have opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Galeno volleyed against the post before firing a close-range rebound wide.
Arsenal struggled to create clear-cut chances but went close through William Saliba’s header from Bukayo Saka’s right-wing corner.
The pattern continued in the second half with Declan Rice producing a brilliant block to deny Evanilson and Gabriel nodding a last-gasp header wide.
It looked like both sides would cancel each other out but Galeno had other ideas as he curled in a 25-yard effort four minutes into added time to snare the first-leg advantage.
Arsenal will now return to Premier League action at home to Newcastle on Saturday with the second leg of this tie at the Emirates set for March 12.
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Watch ‘incredible, remarkable’ miss from Galeno in Porto-Arsenal match
Talking Point – Gunners have work to do as five-star winning run ends abruptly
The last time Arsenal got past the Last 16 of the UCL was in 2010 when they overcame FC Porto 6-2 on aggregate.
This is their first appearance at this stage in six years and Mikel Arteta and Co will still be confident they can overcome this late setback, although his side surprisingly lacked punch despite being dominant and largely in control here.
The Gunners arrived on the back of a five-match winning streak in which they plundered 21 goals, but barely created anything of note as Porto’s stop-start tactics paid dividends in preventing the visitors from injecting tempo into the build up.
They have never won away to Porto – but the Portuguese side have not prevailed in North London either, so Arsenal will remain upbeat that they can still turn the tie around in front of a packed Emirates crowd.
Player of the match
Galeno (FC Porto). The Brazilian forward was a peripheral threat, providing cameos of his class as well as missing the game’s biggest chance prior to making amends with a moment of sheer magic.
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Watch sensational Galeno stoppage-time winner as Porto beat Arsenal
Player Ratings
FC PORTO: Diogo Costa 7, Mario 8, Otavia 8, Pepe 8, Wendell 8, Nico Gonzalez 7, Varela 8, Conceicao 8, Aquino 8, Galeno 8*, Evanilson 7. Subs: Jaime n/a, Martinez n/a, Borges n/a, Eustáquio n/a.
ARSENAL: Raya 6, White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Kiwior 7, Rice 8, Odegaard 7, Havertz 6, Saka 7, Trossard 6, Martinelli 6. Subs: Jorginho 6.
Match Highlights
21’ – FC PORTO CHANCE! Arsenal fail to deal with a devilish ball from the right flank. It falls for Galeno who lashes against the post before firing the rebound wide from close-in!
35’ – ARSENAL CHANCE! Saliba flicks a header wide at the far post from Saka's right-wing corner.
68’ – FC PORTO CHANCE! Rice does brilliantly to block Evanilson's goal-bound shot after a mesmerising run from Aquino down the right.
90+2’ – ARSENAL CHANCE! Gabriel heads Rice's free kick off target. That was a golden opportunity to win it!
90+4’ – GOAL! – FC Porto 1-0 Arsenal: (Galen). That is astonishing! Galeno missed a glorious chance in the first half, but he makes amends at the death with a sublime curling winner from 25 yards.
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