Arsenal have work to do if they are to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years after falling to a stoppage time winner against Porto in their last 16 first leg.
Porto winger Galeno scored a stunning strike from distance with virtually the last kick of the game to decide a contest that never really got going over the course of the preceding 93 minutes.
It leaves Arsenal with a 1-0 aggregate deficit to overturn at the Emirates Stadium next month.
How the game unfolded
After a nervy opening five minutes, Arsenal soon dominated the ball, yet Porto’s defensive organisation and resilience was clear to see. The Gunners were frustrated, with every avenue seemingly blocked and not even a remote sign of a chance, let alone a goal.
Indeed, the first shot from either side came midway through the first half and went to Porto. It was remarkable that the hosts didn’t go ahead in that moment, with Galeno drifting into the box from the left flank and rattling a half volley against the post from close-range. The rebound went straight back to the Brazilian, but unable to readjust, he fired narrowly wide with the goal gaping.
Arsenal’s first attempt of any kind eventually followed 33 minutes in, with Leandro Trossard firing well over from the left-hand side of the penalty area. William Saliba and Kai Havertz each missed with headers from corners, failing to register a single shot on target by the time the half ended. That was something that, frustratingly for those of a London persuasion, didn’t change by full-time.
Another corner presented Arsenal with the first real chance of the second half as Trossard met a cross deliberately floated to the back post, only to blaze over. Porto had a glorious chance of their own in the 66th minute when Pepe left Havertz for dead on the right and cut the ball back to Evanilson. The Gunners had Declan Rice to thank for stepping across just in time to deflect wide.
Overall, a positive tempo in the early stages of the second half ultimately waned long before Galeno’s sensational winner sent the Etadio do Dragao wild, just moments after Gabriel went close with a stoppage time header for Arsenal. But while a world class strike from the Porto star, floating a curling effort from distance into the far right top corner, the opportunity was presented when the young Gunners naively gave the ball away trying to counter attack at the death.
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