sports

Havertz Snatches Late Winner as Arsenal Beat Sporting

Published

6 months ago

April 8, 2026

Arsenal beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 as Kai Havertz scores a stoppage-time winner in the Champions League quarter-final first leg

Arsenal FC secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Sporting CP at the Estádio José Alvalade on Tuesday night, with Kai Havertz striking in stoppage time to hand Mikel Arteta’s side a crucial Champions League quarter-final first-leg win.

Also read: Bayern Beat Real Madrid as Diaz and Kane Strike

The breakthrough came after a tense and tightly contested encounter in which Arsenal struggled for rhythm for long periods but remained resilient under sustained pressure from the Portuguese hosts.

Sporting CP created several early chances, forcing goalkeeper David Raya into key saves, including a powerful effort that was tipped onto the crossbar in the first half.

Arsenal, meanwhile, found it difficult to impose themselves in attack, with limited opportunities and a lack of fluency in the final third despite flashes of intent from captain Martin Ødegaard.

The match remained finely balanced until late in the second half, when Sporting threatened to break the deadlock but failed to convert their chances.

The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time, when Gabriel Martinelli delivered a precise pass over the defence, allowing Havertz to beat the offside trap and calmly slot home from close range.

The result offers Arsenal a valuable advantage heading into the second leg in London, despite a performance that highlighted ongoing concerns over consistency and attacking sharpness.

Manager Mikel Arteta will, however, take encouragement from his side’s resilience and ability to secure a result even while below their best.

Also read: Bayern Beat Real Madrid as Diaz and Kane Strike

The Arsenal beat Sporting Lisbon outcome leaves the tie finely poised, with the Gunners now firm favourites to progress if they can improve their performance at home.

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Opinion

Why Are Football Fans Expecting Trophy Haul from Man City’s 114 Breaches?

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Tai Emeka Obasi,

It is exceedingly terrible for clubs operating in a league as supremely elite as the English Premier League, EPL, to fraudulently cheat themselves to massive success.

Also read: NFF Appeals CAF Ruling on Edo Queens’ WAFU-B Victory

Rules are rules, and supposedly responsible club managements should comply with them in administering a game termed the beautiful game.

Manchester City is currently in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons.

A whopping 115 breaches were brought against the club, with reports now indicating that an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of them.

The club, however, maintains that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has appealed to the fans to remain calm and faithful, insisting that the club will continue to defend its position and pursue the available legal process.

According to reports, Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict. The sanctions have not yet been announced, and the possible consequences could include a heavy fine, points deduction, stripping of titles or even relegation.

From the available reporting, however, there is no basis for football fans to start celebrating the prospect of receiving Manchester City’s trophies.

Even if titles were eventually stripped, the relevant period under investigation is 2009 to 2018.

During that period, Manchester City won three Premier League titles, in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, as well as three League Cups, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2017/18.

That immediately puts a different complexion on the matter.

For instance, Manchester United finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 Premier League seasons, while Liverpool finished second in 2013/14.

But whether those titles would actually be reassigned to the runners-up is another matter entirely.

There is no automatic rule that says a stripped title simply moves to the team that finished second. Any such outcome would depend on the eventual sanction imposed by the relevant authorities.

The same applies to Arsenal and the League Cup. Arsenal were beaten by City in the 2018 final, but that does not mean Arsenal would automatically inherit the trophy if City were sanctioned.

Expert opinion has suggested that the eventual punishment could include a substantial financial penalty and a huge points deduction, potentially severe enough to threaten City with relegation.

But until the sanction is formally determined, nobody can say with certainty what punishment Manchester City will receive.

For Gunners fans, therefore, we should lower our expectations from City’s debacle. Even if Manchester City are eventually found guilty after the appeal process and even if they are relegated, Arsenal will not stroll to this season’s title.

Our last match against Brighton and Hove Albion is a huge warning that our squad is not as complete as it is generally acclaimed to be.