Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, thanks to an own goal, marking their second win in three matches in the Champions League. This win helped the team recover somewhat from their first domestic league loss of the season over the weekend.
The match saw the hosts squander a penalty in the second half and miss several good chances. Despite their efforts, Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm and faced some late pressure from the Ukrainian side.
After losing 2-0 to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, Arsenal started the match strongly, with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus creating notable opportunities before getting lucky with the decisive goal in the 29th minute. Martinelli’s low shot hit the post and deflected off Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk into the net.
Arsenal almost extended their lead before halftime when Shakhtar captain Mykola Matviyenko cleared a header from Kai Havertz off the line. In the second half, Leandro Trossard failed to convert a penalty awarded by VAR due to a handball in the box.
Shakhtar, winless in this season’s Champions League, increased the pressure on Arsenal and nearly equalized when substitute Pedrinho’s long-range shot was brilliantly saved by Arsenal’s David Raya in stoppage time.
With this victory, Arsenal moved temporarily into the top four of the new 36-team league phase, setting the stage for their upcoming match against Inter Milan. Shakhtar will next host Swiss team Young Boys as they look for their first Champions League win.
Despite securing the win, Arsenal played without key players Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard due to injuries, impacting their usual flow of play. Additionally, defender Ben White was substituted at halftime, and Riccardo Calafiori followed him off the field after an awkward landing from a challenge.