Chronicle of Porto – Arsenal 1:0: Galen dresses like a hero | UEFA Champions League

Porto secured a valuable 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the Stadio Dragao.

The Portuguese and English failed to score in regular time, but Galeno’s accurate strike in extra minutes brought victory to the locals.

Match in 60 seconds: Galen makes Porto dream

Equality and lack of success were the tone in the early stages of the match. Both teams were more focused on not making mistakes than taking risks. However, after the first 20 minutes without a chance, Galeno scored the first goal of the match.

The Arsenal defense failed to clear the ball in the penalty area, which reached Galeno. The striker unleashed a powerful shot that crashed into David Raya’s goalpost and quickly intercepted the ball, but his second attempt went wide of another post. It was a miracle that the locals did not take the lead in this performance.

Arteta’s men tried to respond and began to dominate the game without creating undue danger. The closest they came to goal were two headers from Saliba and Havertz from two corners, but their shots missed the target. Thus, the break in a close and even first half was zero.

After passing through the dressing room, the scenario remained the same: Arsenal controlled the ball with runs into the penalty area and crosses from set pieces, which did not bother Diogo Costa at all. The Portuguese goalkeeper acted firmly and confidently under the bar in all attempts to stop the Gunners’ crosses.

So, just when it seemed destined to end in a goalless draw, Galeno received the ball on the edge of the penalty area from where he fired a shot into the long post that beat David Rai, sparking a frenzy at the Dragau Stadium. The Portuguese side won thanks to Galeno’s goal and will go into the second leg with a narrow lead, where Arsenal are sure to make things difficult for them.

This is how we live: Porto –

PlayStation® Man of the Match: Galeno (Porto)

He scored a wonderful goal that brought his team victory. He showed defensive work and great discipline, and showed a sample of his talent with his epic shot.
UEFA Technical Observer Group

Nuno Tavares, Porto reporter

Porto deserved more than a draw after a flawless performance against opponents who had scored 21 goals in their last five matches to finally win late on, with Galeno making up for his incredible first-half mistake with the only goal of the clash. Sérgio Conceição’s tactics have once again proven successful and it gives the feeling that the Dragons can go to London and get the result they need to progress to the next round, something few expected at this point…

Joe Terry, reporter Arsenal

The entire course of the match and this entire article changed in the last 30 seconds of the game. Make no mistake: Arsenal struggled with the tactical problem posed by Conceição’s side, but came very close to returning home happy (though not necessarily happy) with a valuable away draw. At home in three weeks, the Gunners will have to once again show flexibility and efficiency to find at least two goals with which to beat this strong Porto side.

Reactions

Sergio ConceicaoPorto coach: soon.

Mikel ArtetaArsenal coach: soon.

Key data

• Galeno’s injury-time goal takes Porto to the 300-goal mark in the UEFA Champions League (group stage to final).
• Porto have lost only three of their last 13 UEFA Champions League matches (nine wins and one draw).
• In their last four home matches in UEFA club competitions with Arsenal, the Portuguese team won three and drew one.
• Arsenal are beaten again after failing to do so in four straight Champions League matches.
• Arteta’s side have lost just three of their last 16 games in UEFA club competitions (nine wins and four draws).
• The Gunners are unbeaten in their previous eight UEFA club competition matches against Portuguese sides.
• Arsenal have won only one of their last nine games in the round of 16 of the Champions League (one draw and seven defeats). In addition, the English team lost the last seven matches of the first match in the 1/8 finals of the main European tournament.

Fantasy Stars

Soon

Compositions

Port: Diogo Costa; Joao Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell (Eustaquio, 90′); Varela, Nico Gonzalez (Jaime, 80′); Galeno, Pepe, Francisco Conceição (Gonçalo Borges, 85′); Evanilson (Tony Martinez 85′)

Arsenal: David Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Trossard (Jorginho 74′), Martinelli