Arsenal boss Unai Emery

Europa League: Group E

SPORTING LISBON 0
ARSENAL 1 (Welbeck 77)

DANNY Welbeck struck a late winner as Arsenal beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Europa League last night (Thursday) to extend their winning streak to 11 games in all competitions.

The England striker pounced on a mistake from former Liverpool and Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates before slotting the ball through goalkeeper Ruben Ribeiro’s legs.

Early in the second half Welbeck had a headed goal ruled out after he was adjudged to have fouled the defender in the build-up. But he showed his tenacity as he kept looking for chances, and was rewarded by netting the winner with just 13 minutes left on the clock.

Former Manchester United winger Nani had Sporting’s best chance with a curling effort midway through the first half that went well wide of the target. At the other end of the pitch Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s free-kick was comfortably punched away by the keeper.

Arsenal picked up the pace in the second half with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang twice being denied.

The striker saw a delicate chip well saved by Ribeiro, who also reacted well to stop him scoring from an acute angle.

Second-half substitute Lucas Torreira also went close, but his set-piece was palmed away by a keeper who looked ready to end the Gunners’ winning run.

With the match looking destined to finish goalless, Welbeck broke the deadlock with a cool finish.

The result means Arsenal already have one foot in the knockout stages, sitting top of Group E after securing three wins out of three so far.

Unai Emery’s side will now be looking to secure their 12th successive win on Sunday when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Reflecting on why his team keep saving their best performances for the second half, Gunners boss Emery said: “When we were in the dressing room at half-time we spoke and said, ‘okay, today also, we cannot impose our game in first the 45 minutes, but the second half we have the opportunity to change the result and continue in our way, thinking only of winning this match and improving things in the second half’.

“And I think the team did that in the second 45 minutes. But we need to continue finding the solution for the first half to be better.”

SPORTING LISBON: Ribeiro, Ristovski (Bruno Gaspar, 45), Andre Pinto, Coates, Acuna, Battaglia, Petrovic, Gudelj (Cabral, 71), Nani (Diaby, 87), Montero, Bruno Fernandes.
Substitutes not used: Salin, Carlos Mane, Mathieu, Luis.

ARSENAL: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Holding, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Elneny (Torreira, 58), Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck (Lacazette, 81), Aubameyang (Iwobi, 86).
Substitutes not used: Martinez, Jenkinson, Mustafi, Ozil.