English league leader Arsenal have been eliminated from the UEFA Europa League as Sporting CP defeated them on penalties. At the same time, Manchester United booked their place in the quarterfinals of this tournament by defeating Real Betis on a 5-1 aggregate.
Sporting CP knocked out Arsenal
In the first leg, Arsenal tied the match by 2-2 with Sporting CP. Therefore, they needed to win the 2nd leg, which was played at Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal. But the Portuguese side stunned the Gunners at their home ground.
Arsenal boss Mike Arteta played his best possible XI against Sporting CP last night, with Gabriel Jesus leading the front line with Gabriel Martinelli and Nelson. While Arteta set up his team formation with 4-3-3, the Sporting boss played his team in a 3-4-3 attacking formation.
Arsenal, as the home side, dominated the first half with speedy football. They also didn’t wait much to score the first goal. In the 19th minute, Gabriel Martinelli made a fantastic run and took a powerful shot. Sporting CP’s goalkeeper Adan blocked it but failed to stop Xhaka’s return shot. Therefore, Arsenal took the lead in the first half.
Sporting CP, however, played really well. They created some crucial chances in this match. But they found the equalizer in the 2nd half. In the 62nd minute, Pedro Goncalves took a long shot from the middle of the ground as the Arsenal goalkeeper was not in the right position. There is a possibility that his long chip will be the goal of the season after it found the net.
Ramsdale 😂
Gol Pedro Goncalves ke gawang Arsenalpic.twitter.com/C4h4zdaoaZ
— Berita Sepakbola Dunia (@gilabola_ina) March 17, 2023
However, as the match ended in a 1-1 tie, it went to the tie-breaker. Sporting CP scored all five goals from the spot kick, but Gabriel Martinelli missed the shot, which secured the victory for Sporting CP.
Man United qualified for the quarterfinals
Manchester United have another chance to win their 2nd silverware of the season. They have progressed to the quarterfinals of the Europa League by defeating Real Betis. After winning the first leg by a 4-1 margin, they defeated Real Betis in the 2nd leg also, where Marcus Rashford’s only goal sealed the result.
