ARSENAL BOOKED THEIR place in the Europa League knockout stages after a 0-0 draw with 10-man Sporting CP that was marred by an injury to Danny Welbeck.
The point – combined with Vorskla losing 1-0 to Qarabag – was enough to ensure a top-two place for the Gunners in Group E, but the performance left much to be desired.
A lack of fire power meant the few openings the Gunners were able to create went begging, while Sporting – who had Jeremy Mathieu sent off late on - offered even less in the final third.
With Arsenal progressing despite a disappointing display, Welbeck’s injury will be the main concern for Unai Emery and Gareth Southgate, who named the 27-year-old in his England squad earlier on Thursday.
Chances were at a premium in an opening 45 minutes dominated by Arsenal, the Gunners unable to turn their 69 per cent possession into clear-cut chances.
It was a half soured by the nasty-looking injury to Welbeck, the forward having landed awkwardly on his right ankle after meeting Stephan Lichtsteiner’s right-wing cross.
After receiving oxygen and medical attention on the pitch, Welbeck left the field on a stretcher, with Arsenal waiting to learn the full extent of his injury.
Advertisement
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – the man who replaced Welbeck – went close straight after the restart, but the striker was unable to guide Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s cross on target.
There was little to get the pulses racing after that 46th-minute effort until Mkhitaryan’s weak shot with 10 to play, Renan Ribeiro getting down easily to claim.
Mathieu’s dismissal for a mistimed last-ditch tackle on Aubameyang offered Arsenal the chance to seal a dramatic late victory, but the substitute blazed over the crossbar in an effort befitting this lacklustre spectacle.
Europa League results:
Group A
Ludogorets 0-0 AEK Larnaca
Leverkusen 1-0 Zurich
Group B
Celtic 2-1 Leipzig
Rosenborg 2-5 Salzburg
Group C
Slavia Praha 0-0 Kobenhavn
Bordeaux 1-1 Zenit
Group D
Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 Spartak Trnava
Fenerbace 2-0 Anderlecht
Group E
Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP
Vorskla 0-1 Qarabag
Group F
Olympiacos 5-1 Dudelange
Betis 1-1 AC Milan
Group G
Rapid Wien 0-0 Villareal
Spartak Moskva 4-3 Rangers
Group H
Apollon 2-3 Frankfurt
Lazio 2-1 Marseille
Group I
Genk 1-1 Besiktas
Malmo 1-1 Sarpsborg
Group J
Akhisar 2-3 Sevilla
Krasnodar 2-1 Standard Liege
Group K
Dynamo Kyiv 3-1 Rennes
Astana 2-1 Jablonec
Group L
Vidi 1- PAOK
BATE 0-1 Chelsea
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Arsenal held by Sporting in Europe but progress as Welbeck suffers serious-looking injury
ARSENAL BOOKED THEIR place in the Europa League knockout stages after a 0-0 draw with 10-man Sporting CP that was marred by an injury to Danny Welbeck.
The point – combined with Vorskla losing 1-0 to Qarabag – was enough to ensure a top-two place for the Gunners in Group E, but the performance left much to be desired.
A lack of fire power meant the few openings the Gunners were able to create went begging, while Sporting – who had Jeremy Mathieu sent off late on - offered even less in the final third.
With Arsenal progressing despite a disappointing display, Welbeck’s injury will be the main concern for Unai Emery and Gareth Southgate, who named the 27-year-old in his England squad earlier on Thursday.
Chances were at a premium in an opening 45 minutes dominated by Arsenal, the Gunners unable to turn their 69 per cent possession into clear-cut chances.
It was a half soured by the nasty-looking injury to Welbeck, the forward having landed awkwardly on his right ankle after meeting Stephan Lichtsteiner’s right-wing cross.
After receiving oxygen and medical attention on the pitch, Welbeck left the field on a stretcher, with Arsenal waiting to learn the full extent of his injury.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – the man who replaced Welbeck – went close straight after the restart, but the striker was unable to guide Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s cross on target.
There was little to get the pulses racing after that 46th-minute effort until Mkhitaryan’s weak shot with 10 to play, Renan Ribeiro getting down easily to claim.
Mathieu’s dismissal for a mistimed last-ditch tackle on Aubameyang offered Arsenal the chance to seal a dramatic late victory, but the substitute blazed over the crossbar in an effort befitting this lacklustre spectacle.
Europa League results:
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group I
Group J
Group K
Group L
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Arsenal Concern Europa League Gunned Down Report Results Sporting Lisbon Stalemate