Arsenal were beginning to look as if they could do without any more of the Europa League, and now they won’t have to. Defeat on penalties to Sporting and an exit from Europe leaves Mikel Arteta’s side with one clear objective for the rest of the campaign – and if there was ever a night to highlight the importance of that, this bruising battle at the Emirates may well have been it. If Arsenal are able to pick themselves up to defeat Crystal Palace on Sunday, and then go on to lift the Premier League title at the end of the season, then this defeat will be quickly overlooked.
Pedro Goncalves ensured he will be remembered, though, with his remarkable goal that forced extra time and duly served Arsenal a further 30 unwanted minutes. The Sporting midfielder’s stunning strike from just inside the Arsenal half will go down as the marvel of a rather dismal evening for the Premier League leaders, who were dragged to the depths of a last-16 tie that, deep down, they would admit they could have done without.
