Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar (Oct 22, 2024) Match analysis

Arsenal needed an own goal to secure a narrow 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday as they took two wins from three in the Champions League, softening the blow of their first domestic league defeat of the season at the weekend.

The hosts missed a penalty in the second half and wasted some good chances, but the reality was that they never really got going and had to withstand late pressure from their Ukrainian opponents.

Arsenal, beaten 2-0 by Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, got off to a quick start, with Brazilians Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus both having good chances before a lucky 29th-minute opener.

Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

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A low shot from Martinelli bounced off the post and into the back of Shakhtar keeper Dmytro Riznyk, which turned out to be the only goal of the game.

Arsenal would have doubled their lead before half-time had Shakhtar captain Mykola Matviyenko not hooked the ball off the line to prevent Kai Havertz from nodding forward.

Leandro Trossard also missed a penalty awarded by VAR in the second half after a handball in the penalty area.

Shakhtar, who are yet to win the Champions League this season, then put more pressure on Arsenal and almost equalized when substitute Pedrinho brilliantly saved a long-range shot from Arsenal keeper David Raya in stoppage time.

The win puts Arsenal provisionally in the top four of the new 36-team league phase ahead of their next away game at Inter Milan on Wednesday. Shakhtar will try to bounce back in their next home game against Swiss Young Boys.

Arsenal will be relieved to have secured victory, but without key playmakers Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard due to injury, they fell well short of their fluent best.

Arsenal defender Ben White was substituted at half-time, followed by Riccardo Calafiori with 20 minutes left after the Italian landed awkwardly following a foul.