Porto stun Arsenal with late winner to take control of Round of 16 tie
22nd February 2024
The defeat ended Arsenal's eight-game unbeaten run against Portuguese opposition.

- Porto, European champions in 1987 and 2004, frustrated Arsenal throughout.
- They were happy to cede possession and allow Arsenal to dictate the tempo in the first half, but it was the hosts who scored the important goal.
- It was Arsenal's first appearance in a first knockout match in Europe's premier club competition in seven years
Galeno curled in a sublime stoppage-time strike as FC Porto
defeated Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in
Portugal on Wednesday.
Appearing in a first knockout match in Europe's premier club
competition in seven years, Arsenal struggled to break down an organized Porto
defence before Galeno's last-gasp stroke of brilliance.
The defeat ended Arsenal's eight-game unbeaten run against
Portuguese opposition and leaves Mikel Arteta's side with plenty of work to do
in the return leg in London next month.
Arteta stuck with the same starting line-up for the third
game in succession following his team's 5-0 demolition of Burnley at the
weekend.
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Porto defender Pepe, who turns 41 next week and is the
oldest outfield player in Champions League history, made his 119th appearance
in the competition.
By comparison, Arsenal's starters had combined for a total
of 104 before kick-off at the Estadio do Dragao.
While short on Champions League experience, Arteta has said
his squad have the belief they can mix it with Europe's best.
The Gunners have started the new year with five successive
wins in the Premier League, scoring 21 goals in those games, and are firmly in
the race for a first title since 2004.
As well as reigning supreme in England for the first time in
20 years, the north Londoners are convinced they can also conquer Europe,
spurred on further by the prospect of a Wembley final.
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Arsenal have never won the Champions League - losing their
only final appearance against Barcelona in 2006.
Porto, European champions in 1987 and 2004, are a
disappointing third in Portugal this term, but frustrated Arsenal throughout.
They were happy to cede possession and allow Arsenal to
dictate the tempo in the first half, but it was the hosts who created the best
chance.
Francisco Conceicao darted in from the right and slid over a
cross that looped off a sliding Gabriel, with Galeno rifling against the far
post and then steering the rebound wide after the ball came right back to him.
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William Saliba and Kai Havertz headed wide at corners either
side of a Nico Gonzalez drive that sailed over in a physical opening 45
minutes.
Leandro Trossard, deployed again as the leader of the attack
alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, lashed over on the volley from
Declan Rice's driven corner early in the second half.
Arteta made his first change with a quarter of an hour left, replacing Trossard with Jorginho, as Arsenal sought additional control in the closing minutes only to be undone by a moment of magic from Galeno.
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