FC Porto 1-0 Arsenal
Arsenal suffered a late 1-0 loss to FC Porto in the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Tuesday evening.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta preferred the same eleven for the third match running, while on the opposite end Wendell came in for Nigerian international Zaidu Sanusi.
Frenchman William Saliba went close for the Gunners early with a header from a ball in the area, but failed to profit before a teasing shot from Bukayo Saka clipped the woodwork a while later.
Porto didn’t have a lot of lively moments despite being at home, but still managed to take the visitors into halftime goalless with veteran Pepe vital at the back.
It was a bit balanced in the second period as the host began to assert some form of authority and fashioned a few chances which the likes of Evanilson fluffed.
Although, with a draw on the cards, the two-time champions stole the winner in the dying minutes after Otavio send Galeno to apply a few yards and drilled in a stunner -giving David Raya no chance.
Napoli 1-1 FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona failed to register a first-leg win in the last 16 after allowing Italian champions to force a 1-1 draw in Naples.
Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez came into the side from Barca’s win at Celta Vigo, replacing Pau Cubarsi and Vitor Roque, as Napoli featured new man at the helm in Francesco Calzona after axing Walter Mazzarri.
Barca were eager to settle first and were close to doing so through Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski, but goalkeeper Alex Meret repelled.
The host, who were boosted by the return of star striker Victor Osimhen, didn’t drop their heads but contained the Catalan giants as the first half concluded goalless.
However, Lewandowski got the breakthrough in the 60th minute when he collected Pedri’s cutback from the edge of the box and finished smartly into the bottom-corner.
Osimhen replied though within 15 minutes from going behind as he beat Martinez from Andre Anguissa’s pass and stormed away to slot past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
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