Arsenal narrowly edged Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in a tense affair at the Emirates, with Gabriel Martinelli’s early pressure leading to an own goal by Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatoliy Riznyk. Despite dominating large spells of the game, the Gunners were made to sweat as they failed to capitalize on their numerous chances, including a missed penalty by Leandro Trossard.
The match kicked off with Arsenal on the front foot. Within the first minute, Martinelli raced down the left wing and won a corner that almost led to a William Saliba header. Just a few minutes later, Martinelli broke the deadlock when his low shot bounced off the post, only to deflect back into the net off the unfortunate Riznyk. It was a scrappy goal, but Arsenal took the 1-0 lead.
Despite a plethora of chances in the first half, Arsenal were unable to extend their lead. Shakhtar’s goalkeeper Riznyk redeemed himself with several key stops, including a vital penalty save against Trossard early in the second half. Trossard’s strike went down the middle, but Riznyk’s legs stayed firm as he dived left, keeping the visitors in the game.
Shakhtar grew in confidence after the penalty save, with Sudakov and Henrique testing Arsenal’s defense. Mikel Arteta’s men looked vulnerable at times, and their frustration was evident when Martinelli picked up a yellow card for a rash foul. As the game wore on, David Raya came up with several big saves, most notably from a Pedrinho long-range strike and a crucial late header by Gomes.
In the end, Arsenal held on for a nervy 1-0 victory. Martinelli was the catalyst for the win, but the Gunners will feel they should have put the game to bed much earlier, given the number of chances they created. Credit must go to Riznyk, who, despite the own goal, kept Shakhtar in the game with a string of fine saves, including a dramatic penalty stop.
Final score: Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk.
