Arsenal vs Shakhtar LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as Gunners claim tight victory
Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk: Dmytro Riznyk’s own goal secured the points for the Gunners
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Arsenal earned another three points in the Champions League league phase with a less than comfortable 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners needed a win after their defeat to Bournemouth last Saturday and their desire to score was evident throughout a dominant first half. They had 22 attacks and created eight attempts with Declan Rice, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard all coming close.
It was Gabriel Martinelli who broke the deadlock with what proved to be the decisive strike. The Brazilian cut in from the left and struck a fine effort onto the post. The rebounded and hit Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk on the back before bobbling over the line.
In the second half Arsenal were awarded a penalty for a handball following a VAR check but Leandro Trossard has his effort stopped by Riznyk in some redemption for the keeper. Shakhtar then fought back well and the signs were strong that an equaliser was coming.
It wasn’t to be though with David Raya leaping to the left to make a fine save late in the game to give Arsenal the win.
Relive the action with our live blog below:
Shakhtar versus English teams
Shakhtar’s last games against Premier League opponents came in the 2019/20 group stage, when they lost 0-3 at home to Manchester City before a 1-1 away draw.
A 2-1 win at home to City in 2017/18 is Shakhtar’s only success in their last nine games against English clubs (D2 L6) – they have lost five of the last seven.
Back in the Champions League
Having not featured in the Champions League proper between 2016/17 and 2023/24, Arsenal are making their second successive appearance.
This is the Gunners’ 21st Champions League campaign – second only to Manchester United’s 25 among English clubs – but only their second in eight seasons.
The 2016/17 season had been their 19th in a row, all under Arsene Wenger.
Havertz or Henry?
Kai Havertz is looking to become the fourth Arsenal player – and first since Thierry Henry in 2000 – to score in a club-record eight successive home games.
Arsenal vs Shakhtar
This will be the fifth meeting between the sides in the Champions League. The first came back in September 2000, when Arsenal came from behind to prevail 3-2.
A late Martin Keown brace completed the turnaround.
Oleksandr Zinchenko says Man City kept him on ‘academy wages’ for three years
Oleksandr Zinchenko has revealed Manchester City kept him on an “academy contract” during his first three seasons at the club, despite playing a part in two title-winning campaigns.
Zinchenko joined City in 2016 from Russian club Ufa, having been spotted by club scouts a year earlier playing in the Youth Champions League for Shakhtar Donetsk against his current club, Arsenal.
The Ukrainian jumped at the chance to join City but says he was initially told he would be on youth wages until he broke into the first team. He was sent on loan to Dutch club PSV before returning to win back-to-back Premier Leagues under Pep Guardiola, but claims he was still not awarded a professional contract until June 2019.
Oleksandr Zinchenko says Man City kept him on ‘academy wages’ for three years
Zinchenko opens up on his time at Manchester City in his new book, ‘Believe’
Merino on Arsenal’s mentality
More from Mikel Merino who spoke about Arsenal’s mentality in the build-up to tonight’s Champions League fixture.
“I think we have a pretty complete team and coaching mentality as well,” he said, “We may lack a bit of experience because we have a really young team.
“I’m lucky because I have some experience of keeping that mentality and calmness when you have that moment of truth.”
Fortress Emirates
Arsenal are unbeaten in each of their last 12 European matches on home soil, winning eight and drawing four.
‘We want to win in any context'
Mikel Arteta is still hurting due to Arsenal’s defeat at the weekend and hopes his players have to motivation to get back on track tonight.
"You have a defeat, that’s part of the game, it happens in very specific conditions as well," he said, "Let’s move on, take that pain we still have in the tummy and use it.
"It puts a bit of perspective into the situation. Obviously we want to win in any context. The reality is that we have made that context very difficult for ourselves.
"It was very difficult already with the amount of players that we had out and the schedule and the games that we had to play, but that’s the reality.
"For that game we didn’t get away with it. We could have done and it could have been a very different narrative, but the reality is we didn’t. Another context is that we have lost one game in six months. Now we have to win again."
Arsenal versus Ukranian teams
Arsenal last faced Ukrainian opponents in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage, beating Vorskla Poltava 4-2 at home and 3-0 away – the latter game was Bukayo Saka’s first-team debut.
Their loss at Shakhtar in 2010 is Arsenal’s only defeat in their last seven games against teams from Ukraine (W5 D1) and the only one of the last five they have not won.
The Gunners have recorded five successive victories at home to Ukrainian visitors, scoring 14 goals.
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