Sporting CP player Pedro Gonçalves’ probable contender for the goal of the season on Thursday in the second leg of the Round Of 16 has put the Premiere League leaders Arsenal out of the Europa League.
Goncalves wins the ball back near the centre circle and runs with the ball in an attempt to counter-attack however sees Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale away from the goal post. The Sporting player shoots the ball from all most the halfway line and hits the target to square the tie.
The game went into penalties and Lisbon reached the quarterfinals by prevailing 5-3 in the shootout at the Emirates Stadium after a 1-1 draw in regulation in the second leg of their round-of-16 encounter. The first leg ended 2-2.
Que golaço do Pedro Gonçalves, do Sporting Portugal, contra o Arsenal pic.twitter.com/HWegrn60xx
— Várzea Sports (@VarzeaSports) March 16, 2023
The teams finished level at 3-3 on aggregate in the tie but the Lisbon club, fourth in the Portuguese league standings, advanced to the quarter-finals after Adan kept out Martinelli’s weak effort.
Arsenal went ahead when a brilliant ball from Jorginho set Martinelli away on the left and after his shot was saved, Granit Xhaka followed up to smash the ball into the net.
Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Marcus Edwards was one-on-one with Ramsdale but had his shot saved, before Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard had just the goalkeeper to beat in extra-time but his strike was deflected onto the post.
“I think we did enough in some periods of the game but for most of the game we were not at the level that we should be,” Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard told BT Sport.
“Part of the game we did well but we didn’t play our best football. It was a tight game and it could have gone both ways.
“It is a big blow to go out of this competition, it was a big goal for us. But now we have to come back stronger and make sure we finish well in the league.”