Saka and Arsenal blow away Sporting to banish doubts on road in Europe
This was some response to charges of being shot shy. Arsenal’s lack of cutting edge on foreign trips had been the pre-match talking point but it turned out they had saved up a hiding for the continent’s form team.
Sporting had no answer to a masterful first-half display that was reflected accurately by strikes from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhães, all of whom exposed a grievously flaky backline. While the hosts were given hope by Gonçalo Inácio early in a more competitive second period they had too much to do. Arsenal went back through the gears when it mattered, Bukayo Saka’s penalty and a Leandro Trossard header dealing their ambitions of swift passage to the knockout stage a significant boost.
