A great goal from the Brazilian leads Porto (1-0) in the Champions League round of 16
MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Arsenal FC lost 1-0 this Wednesday on their visit to FC Porto, due to a great goal from Wenderson Galeno in injury time, and their round of 16 tie in the Champions League was complicated, whose second leg is scheduled for March 12 (9:00 p.m.) in London.
At the Estádio do Dragão, the thick start prevented any chances until the 21st minute. Of course, it was double and very dangerous, in Galen's boots for the locals. Evanilson de Lima combined on the right wing with Francisco Conceição and he crossed into the area, looking for another teammate who was roaming the goal defended by David Raya.
Gabriel Magalhães cleared, in an unorthodox manner, and the ball was at the mercy of Galeno's volley from point-blank range; His cross shot hit the post at mid-height and he himself finished off the rebound, but without aiming in front of the Spanish goalkeeper, who had made the statue.
In the 34th minute, Arsenal responded, thanks to Bukayo Saka's cross from the baseline that touched the crossbar above, although the assistant referee indicated that the ball had indeed gone out. Beyond that, Porto did not succeed in its counterattacks and did not suffer until the break, despite its rival's greater dominance in possession of the ball.
Upon returning from the locker room, the Gunners had a good opportunity to score in the 56th minute, with a volley that Leandro Trossard sent sky-high after a corner taken by Declan Rice. Both coaches resisted making changes until the 74th minute, when Jorginho entered the scene.
GREAT GOAL TO FINISH THE MATCH
However, the former Naples and Chelsea midfielder contributed little to Arsenal in a midfield where neither of the two contenders ruled clearly. There was a lack of spark to connect with the forwards, although Gabriel Martinelli starred in a couple of promising approaches on the goal defended by Diogo Costa.
Despite this, Mikel Arteta's pupils did not see the goal and just a header from Gabriel Magalhães in injury time, following a long free kick, bothered the Portuguese team's goalkeeper. When it seemed that Raya's night was going to end quietly, Galeno grabbed a ball at the three-quarter line and scored a formidable goal.
After a bad start from the back by the Gunners, that loose ball fell at the feet of the Porto 'doctor', who positioned himself to strike and executed a powerful shot with his right hand, which took flight and beat a goalkeeper over the top. Raya puzzled. Now Arteta's men will look for a comeback at the Emirates Stadium, but against a tough opponent.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: PORTO, 1 – ARSENAL, 0 (0-0, at half-time).
–ALIGNMENTS.
PORT: Coast; John Marie, Ottavio, Pepe, Wendell (Eustachio, min.90); Nico Gonzalez (Ivan James, min.81), Varela; Conception (Borges, min.85), Pepe, Galen; and Evanilson (Toni Martinez, min.85).
ARSENAL: Stripe; White, Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kiwior; Rice, Odegaard, Trossard (Jorginho, min.74); Saka, Martinelli and Havertz.
–GOL:
1-0, min.90+4: Galeno.
–REFEREE: Serdar Gözübüyük (PBA). He yellow carded Conceição (min.52), Nico González (min.62) in Porto, and Rice (min.2), Kiwior (min.57), Havertz (min.61) in Arsenal.
–STADIUM: Do Dragão, 49,111 spectators.