LONDON, April 15 : Arsenal edged past Sporting to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the second successive season with a 0-0 home draw earning them a 1-0 aggregate victory on Wednesday.
It was far from convincing though for Mikel Arteta’s side as they held on to the lead given to them by Kai Havertz’s stoppage-time goal in Lisbon last week.
The well-organised visitors posed a threat at times, especially in the first half, and almost went ahead on the night just before halftime when Geny Catamo’s volley clipped the post.
Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard also struck the woodwork in the tense latter stages of a dour game in which Sporting ran out of ideas and could not prevent the hosts keeping an eighth clean sheet in 12 Champions League games this season to set up a semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid.
While the result was ultimately all that mattered, Arsenal again lacked attacking spark and suffered an injury scare ahead of Sunday’s colossal Premier League clash at Manchester City when Noni Madueke was forced off after a bang to the knee.
“We are delighted, it was a really tough test over two games,” Arsenal captain Declan Rice said of the result.
“To get to back-to-back semi-finals is an amazing achievement and now we want to go one step further.”
Arsenal bowed out in the semi-finals last season to eventual winners Paris St Germain and they will have to improve against a dangerous Atletico side if they are to reach the final for only the second time, having lost to Barcelona in 2006.
As huge as Wednesday’s match was, the looming clash with City which could make or break Arsenal’s hopes of a first Premier League title for 22 years was impossible to ignore.
A 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth last weekend, which has opened the door for City, was Arsenal’s third defeat in four games in all competitions and prompted suggestions that Arteta’s side were running out of steam with the finish line in sight.
Another setback would have eroded confidence ahead of Sunday’s Etihad Stadium showdown but Arsenal stood firm and showed plenty of grit to progress, despite managing only one attempt on target.
Arteta was especially pleased with the control his side showed, although he was relieved when Sporting’s Joao Simoes flashed a shot agonisingly wide with the last kick of the game.
“The last 15 to 20 minutes we controlled the game really well and controlled the transitions,” said Arteta, the first manager to lead Arsenal to back-to-back semi-finals in Europe’s elite club competition.
“It’s a great night. I’m very happy for all our people. We are making steps that haven’t been done at this club for 140 years. Now we will have two magical nights, one in Madrid and one here.”
For Sporting manager Rui Borges and the visiting fans it was a case of nearly but not quite after the Portuguese side matched the Premier League leaders over both legs.
“I think we deserved more and potentially deserved to play extra time; in both games the best opportunities were Sporting’s,” Borges said.
“Arsenal didn’t create many opportunities. There can’t be any frustration, there can only be pride.”
