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We turned in one of our best away performances in the Champions League in recent memory to secure a statement win in Lisbon.

Against the reigning Portuguese champions – unbeaten all season and second in the Champions League league phase going into the game – we netted three without reply in a dominant first half. Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put us two to the good before Gabriel headed in from a corner on the stroke of half-time.

An early second-half goal from Goncalo Inacio gave the hosts brief hope, but Bukayo Saka’s penalty and Leandro Trossard’s late goal from a parried Mikel Merino shot gave the scoreline gloss on a remarkable night in Europe.

The travelling Arsenal supporters were left to celebrate our biggest away win in the competition since beating Inter by the same score in 2003.

Another European away day, another excitable home atmosphere to try to dampen early on, and we did just that inside the opening 10 minutes. We had started really brightly, having our first attempt on goal in the first minute, but Riccardo Calafiori’s follow-up after Martinelli’s cross was half-cleared went harmlessly wide.

We continued to dictate the early play – Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka combined well inside the area but the hosts scrambled away the danger.

Then came the breakthrough. Jurrien Timber found space on the right, sent in a low cross that asked questions that the Portuguese defence couldn’t answer, and Martinelli stole in to score past Franco Israel and net our first away goal in the Champions League since Eddie Nketiah netted against Eindhoven in December last year.

We were good value for the lead though. Sporting – with a 100 per cent domestic record this season had barely got into our half in the first ten minutes.

It was little surprise then when we doubled the lead midway through the first half. Again the build-up came down the right, this time Thomas Partey lifted a ball over the defence for Saka to scurry onto. He stabbed the ball through the legs of the advancing keeper inside the area, and Havertz had the simple task of tapping in from a yard or two out.

The home fans started letting off fireworks inside the Estadio Jose Alvalade, but all the entertainment was being supplied by the boys in red and white. We were knocking the ball around in midfield, our movement causing no end of problems for a team that hasn’t dropped a point at home in the league since the season before last.

The locals were growing increasingly restless, not used to any visiting team dominating them in this way. Their last home game in this competition don’t forget, was a 4-1 dispatching of Manchester City.

And literally with the last touch of the first half, Gabriel made it 3-0. Declan Rice’s swerving corner from the right was just on the money for our big Brazilian defender, arriving to power in his header at the far post. It was a near-perfect first-half display.

Sporting were simply not used to being in this position, and came out with renewed determination for the second half. A minute after the restart David Raya made a full stretch save low down to deny Hidemasa Morita, and from the resulting corner Goncalo Inacio turned the ball home at the near post.

Hope for the home side, and the sound levels turned up several notches. It was our turn to come under pressure. Shortly afterwards Viktor Gyokeres won a free-kick right on the edge of the area, and took it himself, firing well over.

The momentum had swung, but in one swift moment, it was back in our favour. Odegaard broke into the area and his progress was abruptly halted by a challenge by behind from Ousmane Diomande. A penalty was awarded, and Saka stepped up to score decisively, his first away goal in the competition.

With our three-goal cushion restored, we were back in control. On came the subs and two of them combined for our fifth. Mikel Merino’s long-range shot was parried by Israel, and there was Trossard to finish off.

Ethan Nwaneri could have added a late sixth, but the job had well and truly been done by then.

#arsenal #bukayosaka #ucl #championsleague

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Originally titled: The “Authentic” Sports Game Paradox

MUSIC LIST (IN-ORDER):
Akitaka Tohyama – Formless Like Water (Tekken 5 OST)
Yu Miyake – Didgerhythm (Tekken 4 OST)
Cris Velasco & Sascha Dikiciyan – Citadel Underbelly (Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC OST)
Cris Velasco & Sascha Dikiciyan – Casino Mystery (Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC OST)
Professor Kliq – Moth (The Hong Kong Massacre OST)
B Real and DJ Lethal – Play At Your Own Risk
Tobias Enhus & Machine Head – Final Dojo Test (The Matrix Path of Neo OST)
MDFMK – Rabble Rouser
Swollen Members – Too Hot (Instrumental)
Steve Ford – Nascent (Pure Pwnage Season 1 Soundtrack)
Akitaka Tohyama – Massive Stunner (Tekken 5 OST)
Group S Challenge OST – Circus Drive (Game Trax 12)
Domaje – Way Down in the Hole
Akitaka Tohyama – Who’s Afraid Of… (Tekken 5 OST)
Korn – Coming Undone
Wargasm (UK) – Lapdance (N.E.R.D. Cover)
The Pharcyde – Oh Shit (Instrumental)
Obscure Disorder feat. III Bill & Goretex – 2004 (Instrumental)
Blitz The League II – BGM 51
Blitz The League II – BGM 46
Judith Carin – Impending Danger
Blitz The League II – BGM 41
Jesper Kyd – Trouble in Vegas (Hitman Blood Money OST)
Jan Cyrka & Toby Bricheno – Hype
Blitz The League II – BGM 35
Brian Tyler – Rook Island (Far Cry 3 OST)
Kevin Cohen & Michael Nielsen – Research Base (Splinter Cell Conviction OST)
Alexander Brandon – Versalife (Deus Ex OST)
Alexander Brandon – Lebedev’s Airfield (Deus Ex OST)
Brian Reitzell – IP Tracking (Watch Dogs OST)
Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC OST – Silversun Strip King of the Castle
Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC OST – Silversun Strip Grunt’s Day Off
Borislav Slavov – Memories (Crysis 3 OST)
Buck – My Team

MEDIA LIST (IN-ORDER):
EA Sports Madden 2024
EA Sports F1 2024
Rocket League
ESPN 30 for 30: I’m Just Here For The Riot
EA Sports FC 24
EA Sports FIFA 23
EA Sports Madden 23
F1 2019
UFC 5
NBA 2k21
NHLPA ’93
Casino
AO Tennis 2
EA Sports PGA Tour
EA Collage Football 25
Blitz The League
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
Forza Horizon 4
EA Sports NHL 23
EA Sports FIFA 17
ESPN Playmakers
Any Given Sunday
Saving Private Ryan
Medal of Honor Allied Assault
World of Warcraft
DOOM (2016)
Sniper Elite 5
Mortal Kombat 11
The Wire
The Witcher
The Sopranos
The Boys
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Top Gear UK
Cartoon All Stars To The Rescue
Mass Effect 3
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Class of ’09: The Re-Up
EA Sports F1 2021
F1 2017
Blitz The League II
Hitman: Codename 47
Metro 2033
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
Mass Effect 2
Rage 2
Shadow Ops: Red Mercury
Warrior
RUSH
Challengers
Breaking Bad
24 (2002)
The Walking Dead
Better Call Saul
Reservoir Dogs: The Video Game
Reservoir Dogs
Halo Combat Evolved
007 Goldeneye
Quake
DOOM (1993)
Wolfenstein 3D
Catacomb 3D
Baldurs Gate 3
Senna (2010)

YOUTUBE LIST:
minimme
World of Playstation
The Tenth Art
Pitlessball
rocco
CrazyVikingGamer
IGN
AFGuidesHD
NVIDIA Geforce
CJR Gaming
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