Arsenal won 1–0 against Sporting CP in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at José Alvalade in Lisbon on Tuesday evening. Kai Havertz scored the winner in the first minute of added time. Viktor Gyökeres, who left Sporting for Arsenal last summer, received a mixed reception from the crowd.
Sporting created the best early chance when Maximiliano Araujo hit the crossbar after a pass from Ousmane Diomande, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya tipped it away with his fingertips.
Arsenal grew into the game. Noni Madueke curled a corner onto the crossbar and Martin Ødegaard shot wide. Martín Zubimendi thought he had given Arsenal the lead from 20 meters, but the goal was disallowed for offside on Viktor Gyökeres.
Gyökeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting over two seasons, was booed on ball contact but also applauded when he felt the pitch. He was otherwise relatively quiet in the match.
Late in the game, Raya saved a header for a corner. In the first minute of added time, Gabriel Martinelli set up Kai Havertz for the 1–0 goal.
"I am very happy that we got a win away from home in a Champions League quarterfinal against a team that hasn't lost at home for I don't know how long," said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to Amazon Prime. The return leg is in London next Wednesday, when Sporting will miss suspended Luis Suárez.
