FOOTBALL – Bukayo Saka scored one goal and set up another as Arsenal thrashed Portuguese side Sporting 5-1 in their Champions League clash at the Estadio Jose Alvalade last night, their biggest away win in the competition in 21 years.
Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead early on before Kai Havertz and Brazilian defender Gabriel added two more goals before halftime as Arsenal overwhelmed their hosts.
Goncalo Inacio pulled a goal back for Sporting early in the second period, but Saka restored Arsenal’s three-goal advantage with a penalty and Leandro Trossard got a fifth for their biggest away win in the Champions League since victory by the same scoreline at Inter Milan in 2003.
Arsenal moved above Sporting to seventh place in the 36-team table with 10 points from their five games. The Portuguese side have the same number of points but are one position back on goal-difference.
Meanwhile, Manchester City squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Dutch side Feyenoord in another calamitous performance from Pep Guardiola’s stuttering side.
Erling Haaland bagged a brace for the hosts, but huge defensive blunders in the dying minutes saw them fall to 15th in the Champions League table on eight points.
Haaland got City on the scoresheet in the 45th minute with a blistering penalty kick past Timon Wellenreuther after he was fouled in the box.
Ilkay Gundogan doubled the lead in the 50th minute with a low long-range shot that took a deflection in, before Haaland completed his brace three minutes later when he stabbed home Matheus Nunes’ cross for his 46th goal in Europe’s elite competition.
Astonishingly, Feyenoord replied with three goals inside 15 minutes, first from Anis Hadj Moussa, who pounced on a careless ball back from Josko Gvardiol in the 75th minute. Then Santiago Gimenez struck seven minutes later when he chested in Jordan Lotomba’s cross, created from another wayward Gvardiol pass.
David Hancko got the equaliser in the 89th minute when City keeper Ederson was beaten by Igor Paixao who sent a cross to Hancko to head in.
Bayern Munich battled past 10-man Paris St Germain 1-0 thanks to Kim Min-jae’s winner to improve their chances of automatic qualification and leave the visitors in trouble after a third loss in the competition.
The Bavarians climbed to 11th with nine points from five games, a point off the top eight places that bring automatic qualification for the last 16. PSG are 26th on four, outside the playoff spots with three matches remaining in the first phase.
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