UCL: Why Arsenal Beat Sporting 1-0 – Arteta

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has admitted that at a point he didn’t expect his team to score in their 1-0 win over Sporting on Tuesday.

Kai Havertz scored in the 91st minute, as the Gunners returned to England with a narrow win in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.

David Raya pulled out off several fantastic saves, while Martin Zubimendi’s effort was chalked off for offside.

Arteta has now said his players missed sharpness in the final third.

On whether he thought his side might not score tonight, Arteta said: “Yes, because when we got into the final third and we sat there we missed the final bit.

“We had to be a little bit crisper, faster, more efficient to break them down when they had that block.

“We had a goal disallowed and there were two or three occasions where we were close but we lacked that final pass.

“In the end, a magic moment from the finishers win us the game.”