Galeno’s late stunner gives Porto a Champions League win over Arsenal

PORTO – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta bemoaned his team’s lack of cutting edge as Galeno’s sublime stoppage-time goal earned Porto a 1-0 home win in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Feb 21.

Appearing in a first knockout match in Europe’s elite club competition for seven years, the Gunners struggled to break down an organised Porto defence before Galeno’s stroke of brilliance in the 94th minute.

The defeat left Arsenal with plenty of work to do in the return leg in London on March 12.

“We had to manage the game better when you can’t win. We lacked threat. We lacked aggression, especially when we had the ball in the final third,” Arteta told TNT Sports.

“So we will tweak a few things to attack better. We can do better.”

Arsenal last made it to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2010, when they beat Porto in the last 16, but it is the Portuguese club who now have the upper hand.

“I think it’s a team that’s very well-organised defensively and they break your rhythm all the time,” added Arteta.

“We want to be in the quarter-finals, you have to beat your opponent and this is what we have to do at the Emirates.”

Reassuringly for Arsenal, Porto have a terrible record away against English clubs and have never scored at Arsenal, conceding 11 in three visits.

But worryingly for the Gunners, they failed to register a single shot on target as their recent goal spree came to a shuddering halt.

“When it’s 0-0, you look up at the clock and it’s 93 minutes gone, if you aren’t going to win the game then don’t lose it,” lamented Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

“It’s a real kick in the teeth we’ve conceded late but we know what to do.

“We’re not going to let our heads drop.”

Arteta stuck with the same starting line-up for the third game in succession following his team’s 5-0 demolition of Burnley at the weekend.

Porto defender Pepe, who turns 41 next week and is the oldest outfield player in Champions League history, made his 119th appearance in the competition.

By comparison, Arsenal’s starters had combined for a total of 104 before kick-off at the Estadio do Dragao.

While short on Champions League experience, Arteta has said his squad have the belief they can mix it with Europe’s best.

The Gunners have started 2024 with five successive wins in the Premier League, scoring 21 goals in those games, and are firmly in the race for a first title in two decades.

They are also convinced they can conquer Europe, spurred on further by the prospect of a Wembley final this season.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League – losing their only final appearance against Barcelona in 2006.

Porto, who were European champions in 1987 and 2004, are a disappointing third in Portugal this term, but frustrated Arsenal throughout.

They were happy to cede possession and allow Arsenal to dictate the tempo in the first half, but it was the hosts who created the best chance.

Francisco Conceicao darted in from the right and slid over a cross that looped off a sliding Gabriel Magalhaes, with Galeno hitting the far post and then steering the rebound wide after the ball came right back to him.

After the break, Arteta made his lone change with around a quarter of an hour left, replacing Leandro Trossard with Jorginho, but Arsenal’s lack of a prolific striker was exposed and they were ultimately undone by a moment of magic from Galeno.

“They think that the best way to beat their opponents is to have more possession of the ball, but that depends on the team and the performers they have,” said Porto coach Sergio Conceicao.

“We had (around) 40 per cent possession of the ball... I didn’t mind having 30 per cent and winning too.

“It all depends on what you do with the ball to score goals.” AFP, REUTERS