Ødegaard’s comeback has lubricated the cogs in the Arsenal machinery. After the weekend’s convincing 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, there was another night of jubilation in Portugal.
Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka (penalty) and Leandro Trossard scored the goals. Ødegaard earned the penalty when, in the 63rd minute, he dribbled into the box and was kicked on the ankle by Ousmane Diomande, who was lucky to miss his second yellow card. Saka punctuated the match to 4-1 from the 11-metre mark after Sporting had initially pulled ahead in the second half.
Ødegaard writhed in pain after the fall, but got up and played on.
After the Norwegian was replaced, Trossard determined the result on a goalkeeper return.
Wrecked on the side
Mikel Arteta saw his team wreak havoc on the right from the start, with Ødegaard and Saka in very good shape. Maximilian Araujo had a hard time on that side for Sporting.
In the 7th minute, right-back Jurriën Timber was played forward by Declan Rice. His flat cross went past Havertz, who was held up by Diomande, but at the far post Martinelli was able to head the ball into an empty net.
In the 21st minute it was Saka who was played forward on the right, this time by Thomas Partey. He stormed from Araujo and hit the ball between the legs of the goalkeeper so Havertz could kick it into the empty net.
Ødegaard played forward teammates for a couple of new chances which were not taken advantage of. In the 44th minute, Sporting had their first good opportunity when 17-year-old Geovany Quenda shot and David Raya had to turn to a corner.
It didn’t result in anything, and instead it was a corner kick at the opposite end of the pitch that gave a telling result. In overtime in the half, Rice took a corner from the left. Diomande tackled Havertz in the goal yard, but centre-back Gabriel came storming, towered over everyone and scored 0-3.
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Did Gyökeres’ gesture
He had tamed the hosts’ goal machine Viktor Gyökeres for 45 minutes and made the Swede’s goal gesture when it was he himself who got on the scoresheet. Gyökeres had just 18 touches of the ball in the first half, three of which were kick-offs after Arsenal scores.
Gonçalo Inácio sparked hope for Sporting when he headed home from a corner less than two minutes into the second half.
Sporting had several opportunities, but after Ødegaard’s raid that ended in Saka’s penalty, there was no doubt about the outcome.
Arsenal won big on the pitch where Manchester City lost 1-4 in the previous Champions League round. The team was scoreless in their last four European Cup matches away from home, but after Tuesday’s goal celebration, Arsenal are again on course for a direct place in the round of 16.
Ødegaard was replaced in the 78th minute, when the victory was secured. Trossard nodded in the 5-1 goal on the return after a shot from Mikel Merino.
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