UCL: Arsenal thrash Sporting 5-1 in Lisbon masterclass

Arsenal delivered a performance in Lisbon, dismantling reigning Portuguese champions Sporting 5-1 in their Champions League group-stage clash on Tuesday night.

A dominant first half saw the Gunners race to a 3-0 lead, leaving the home side shell-shocked and the traveling fans celebrating a historic European night.

Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhães ensured Arsenal controlled the match from the outset, silencing a crowd accustomed to Sporting’s unbeaten run this season.

Though Gonçalo Inácio pulled one back early in the second half, Bukayo Saka’s penalty and Leandro Trossard’s late strike sealed Arsenal’s biggest away victory in the competition since their famous 5-1 win over Inter Milan in 2003.
“We came here knowing the challenge, but the boys were sensational,” said manager Mikel Arteta. “This is a tough place to play, and we made it look easy. Nights like this show what we are capable of.”
Martinelli, who opened the scoring, praised the team’s mindset: “It was about setting the tone early. We wanted to dominate and show our quality, and we did that from the first minute.”

The win not only strengthened Arsenal’s position in the group but also sent a clear message to their European rivals.
With three group matches remaining, the Gunners are in pole position to qualify for the knockout stages, a post match report obtained from the club’s website on Tuesday night revealed.

Next, Arsenal will face West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, before a high-stakes clash with Manchester United in midweek.