Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Champions League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. The Gunners, still reeling from a surprise 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, showed resilience and determination to secure the three points despite struggling to create clear-cut chances throughout the match.
The game’s only goal came in the 29th minute when Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli’s shot rebounded off the post and hit Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk on the back, before trickling over the line. It was an unfortunate own goal for Riznyk, but Martinelli’s effort deserved credit for setting up the play.
Arsenal made a fast start and dominated possession in the opening stages, with Martinelli and fellow Brazilian Gabriel Jesus causing problems down the flanks. However, the hosts failed to capitalize on their early dominance, with Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori wasting a good opportunity by shooting over the bar from close range.
Shakhtar, who have yet to win in the Champions League this season, grew into the game and started to look dangerous on the counterattack. But Arsenal’s defense held firm, and the visitors were kept at bay until the stroke of halftime.
The second half saw a similar pattern, with Arsenal creating more chances but failing to extend their lead. Shakhtar came close to equalizing on a few occasions, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made some crucial saves to preserve the hosts’ slender advantage.
The most notable moment of the second half came when Arsenal were awarded a penalty after VAR review showed that Shakhtar defender Valeriy Bondar had handled the ball in the box. However, Leandro Trossard’s spot kick was straight down the middle and saved by Riznyk, who had guessed the right way.
Despite the missed penalty, Arsenal held on to secure the win, thanks in part to Raya’s late save from Pedrinho’s long-range effort. The victory lifts Arsenal provisionally into the top four of the new 36-team Champions League league phase, ahead of their next match away at Inter Milan on Wednesday.
After the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team’s resilience but admitted that they had been fortunate to win. “First half we were dominant, we created four big chances, and we should have converted them and put the game to bed,” he said. “The second half was very different, we looked tired, and we lacked sharpness with and without the ball. But we had to dig in and get the result.”
Gabriel Martinelli, who was named Man of the Match, was pleased with the win but acknowledged that Arsenal could have done better. “We wanted to score more, but we wanted to win the game, and that is the most important thing,” he said. “It was my goal! It doesn’t matter if it was an own goal, the win is what is important, and we are really happy.”
Arsenal will now turn their attention to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool, knowing that they need to improve their performance if they are to compete at the top of the table. With key players Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard still sidelined through injury, Arteta will be hoping that his team can find the form that saw them cruise to a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Real Madrid roared back from a two-goal deficit to stun Borussia Dortmund with a 5-2 win, while Aston Villa kept their perfect start to the competition with a 2-0 victory over Bologna. Juventus, meanwhile, suffered a shock injury-time loss to Stuttgart, while Paris Saint-Germain and PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 in a closely contested match.