Arsenal reach Champions League semi-final after 1-0 aggregate win against Sporting

Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google

Mikel Arteta’s side headed into Wednesday’s second leg guarding a one-goal advantage after Kai Havertz’s strike in Lisbon a week ago.

And, although Sporting’s Geny Catamo struck David Raya’s post in the first half, Havertz’s stoppage-time winner from the opening match proved enough for an unconvincing Arsenal to secure a last-four date with Atletico Madrid.

The statistics were stacked heavily in Arsenal’s favour prior to Wednesday’s match. Sporting had not won any of their last 10 games in England and were also without a victory in their 10 away knockout matches on European’s grandest stage – a streak which stretched back to 1970.

But Arsenal made hard work of the contest and while there was palpable relief inside the Emirates at the final-whistle, it was a performance which will have done little to strike fear into Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s pivotal top-of-the-table clash in the Premier League.

However, the Gunners were still able to celebrate reaching their second consecutive Champions League semi-final for the first time in their history. They will head to Spain for the opening leg on April 29 before the return fixture in London the following week.

Arteta demanded a fiery response to Arsenal’s desperate defeat against Bournemouth but, despite an encouraging opening, Sporting soon extinguished the hosts’ flames.

William Saliba’s misplaced pass presented Francisco Trincao with a shot at David Raya’s goal – which he sent wide – while in terms of chances, Arsenal were offering very little at the other end.

Arsenal needed a goal to settle any growing nerves but it was the visitors who were presented another encouraging chance with Pedro Goncalves blazing over when he should have tested Raya. Raya’s short pass fell to Goncalves but the Spaniard’s mistake went unpunished.

Then came another major let-off for the Gunners as Catamo’s volley flicked off Raya’s far post. Sporting were growing in confidence with every passing minute and referee Francois Letexier’s half-time whistle will have provided some much-needed comfort for Arteta and his men.

The Arsenal players were tellingly sent out for the second half long before their opponents. However, Maxi Araujo’s curling effort soon had Raya scrambling, but his effort sailed wide.

Eberechi Eze tried his luck from range to no avail before Gabriel Martinelli struck a half-volley over and Noni Madueke rattled the side-netting. However, Arsenal were still lacking any genuine creative spark.

The largest cheer of the night was reserved for Year 11 student Max Dowman’s introduction shortly after the hour mark when Madueke limped off with a knee injury that will place him as a major doubt for the trip to City.

Yet moments later, Sporting wanted a penalty when Araujo tumbled following a perceived pushy by Cristhian Mosquera in the area. Letexier waved their appeals away.

The Arsenal fans wanted to see more from their side and on the touchline an increasingly agitated Arteta talked himself into the referee’s notebook.

Dowman was beginning to have an influence on the game and it was the 16-year-old’s corner which Leandro Trossard headed on to the post.

By the end, it was largely comfortable for Arsenal and standing their way of a first final since 2006 will be Atletico Madrid, who they thumped 4-0 in the group stage at Emirates in October.

But Arteta’s men will now turn their attention to their crunch match against City, with their league aspirations firmly on the line.

Elsewhere, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise's fired Bayern Munich and England captain Harry Kane past 10-man Real Madrid and into a Champions League semi-final showdown with holders Paris St Germain in a dramatic conclusion to a pulsating tie.

Less than three minutes after Madrid substitute Eduardo Camavinga had been sent off, Diaz drilled home his side’s third equaliser before Olise struck in stoppage time to clinch a 4-3 win on the night.

The victory extended Bayern’s unbeaten run to 16 games in all competitions and sealed a 6-4 aggregate triumph, a first over the Spanish giants in a two-legged tie since 2012.

On a night when the 15-times winners were made to pay for indiscipline – Arda Guler was also dismissed after the final whistle – the game remained in the melting pot throughout.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s uncharacteristic blunder just 35 seconds after kick-off allowed Guler to fire the visitors in front, but Aleksandar Pavlovic’s sixth-minute equaliser set the stage for a gloriously-open encounter.

Guler’s stunning free-kick levelled the aggregate scores once again, but Harry Kane’s 50th goal of the season restored the hosts’ advantage before Kylian Mbappe struck for the 15th time in this season’s competition.

However, Camavinga’s second yellow card sparked a late collapse in which Diaz and Olise found the quality to win it.

Whatever game-plan Bayern boss Vincent Kompany had drawn up was thrown out of the window inside the opening minutes when 40-year-old keeper Neuer, whose display in Madrid had done so much to earn his team their slim advantage, handed the visitors a route back into the tie.

Controlling a back-pass, he inexplicably delivered the ball straight to Guler, whose instinctive left-footed finish sailed into the unguarded net.

But Neuer’s side levelled on the night when opposite number Andriy Lunin made a complete mess of trying to get to Joshua Kimmich’s sixth-minute corner and Pavlovic headed home the equaliser from point-blank range.

The two keepers were busy throughout, but Neuer was picking the ball out of his net for a second time when Guler curled a superb 29th-minute free-kick into the top corner after Konrad Laimer had brought down Brahim Diaz 25 yards out.

Bayern were back in it once again seven minutes before the break when Kane controlled Dayot Upamecano’s pass before stroking the ball past the keeper.

Vinicius Junior went desperately close to a third goal when his shot came back off the crossbar after he had out-paced Upamecano.

But the visitors were not to be denied and – with three minutes of the half remaining and Josip Stanisic injured deep inside enemy territory – Jude Bellingham fed Vinicius, who ran away from Jonathan Tah and squared for Mbappe, who needed no second invitation.

It took a brilliant reaction save from Neuer to keep out Mbappe’s 55th-minute volley from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s raking pass and Lunin tipped away Olise’s attempt as the game remained in the balance.

But Camavinga’s 86th-minute dismissal for a second bookable offence severely dented Madrid’s hopes and they were punished within three minutes when Diaz fired past Lunin, with the help of a deflection off Eder Militao, before Olise matched his feat with an even sweeter strike from the other flank, with the final kick of the game.