Sporting 0-1 Arsenal: Welbeck winner hands Gunners 11 wins in a row

Danny Welbeck's 77th-minute strike saw Arsenal makes it 11 wins in a row and move three points clear at the top of their Europa League group.

Match Events

23' CHANCE! Mkhitaryan's free kick saved

24: SAVE! Mkhitaryan has a shot from the angle, but Ribeiro beats it away well to his left! Good effort, good save, and the first half chance of the game in Lisbon. 

32' CLOSE! Nani's shot wide out

48' CHANCE! Aubameyang's effort is comfortably saved at the near post.

50' Another opportunity for Aubameyang! But his chip saved by Ribeiro

SAVE! Best chance of the game. Aubameyang shows his pace, picking the ball up just outside the box and getting one-on-one with Ribeiro, but he saves really well with his left arm! 

54' Great chance for Welbeck!

CHANCE! Brilliant from Guendouzi to evade Petrovic on the left of the box, he picks out the right pass in Welbeck to slot home, but Pinto gets a block on it! Not sure how much he knew about that!

68' FOUL! Welbeck's goal disallowed

BALL IN THE NET! What a header from Welbeck, but it won't count! Fine ball from Lichtsteiner, Welbeck rises high and heads a beauty back across goal and in off the post, but Gaspar went down under his challenge!

72' NICE SHOT! Torreira's free kick saved

77'GOAL! Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal (Welbeck)

Arsenal finally go ahead! It's a shocking mistake from Coates, the former Liverpool and Sunderland man.

He trips as he goes to collect a simple pass, allowing Welbeck to steal in. Welbeck takes it quite early, about 15 yards out at an angle, but he strikes low through Ribeiro!

Match reports

Danny Welbeck scored a second-half winner to give Arsenal a 1-0 victory away to Sporting CP in the Europa League on Thursday.

Both teams had maximum points on the board after two rounds and they looked set to play out a goalless draw in a mostly low-key affair in Lisbon.

But Welbeck came up with the decisive goal in the 77th minute, rifling a fine finish through the legs of goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro to give Arsenal an 11th straight win in all competitions.

The Gunners move three points clear at the top of Group E, while Sporting are still well-placed to qualify for the knockout stages as they hold a three-point cushion in second spot.

Bruno Fernandes fired an early chance over the crossbar for the hosts before Henrikh Mkhitaryan's free-kick was beaten away by Ribeiro.

Nani lashed a drive over the angle before Sporting fans were angered when Sokratis Papastathopoulos appeared to drag Fredy Montero as he raced through on goal, referee Damir Skomina waving the appeals away.

Ribeiro twice denied Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shortly after the restart with Arsenal upping the tempo.

Welbeck's celebrations after beating Ribeiro with a header were cut short in the 67th minute as official Skomina blew for a push on Bruno Gaspar.

However, he would not be denied again following Sebastian Coates' error, the England forward scoring his second goal in the competition this season to extend Arsenal's streak under three-time Europa League winner Unai Emery.

Line-ups

Sporting CP XI: Nani, F. Montero, R. Petrović, André Pinto, S. Coates, Nemanja Gudelj, Renan Ribeiro, S. Ristovski, R. Battaglia, M. Acuña, Bruno Fernandes

Subs: R. Salin, Jeremy Mathieu, Abdoulay Diaby, C.Mané, B.Gaspar, Jovane Cabral, Miguel Luís

Arsenal XI: S. Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, D. Welbeck, Ramsey, B. Leno, G. Xhaka, M.Elneny, Holding, M. Guendouzi

Subs: M. Özil, Lacazette, Mustafi, E. Martínez, Carl Jenkinson, A. Iwobi, L. Torreira