THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Feb 22, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET AI 
Sponsor:  QWIKET AI 
Sponsor:  QWIKET AI: Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET AI: Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support.
back  
topic
Le Monde
Le Monde
21 Feb 2024


Images Le Monde.fr

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

Appearing in a first knockout match in Europe's premier club competition for seven years, Arsenal struggled to break down an organized Porto defense before Galeno's stroke of brilliance in the 94th minute.

The defeat ended Arsenal's eight-game unbeaten run against Portuguese opposition and the Gunners with plenty of work to do in the return leg in London on March 12.

"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-organized defensively and they break your rhythm all the time," said 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."

Arsenal 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," said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

Thanks to a daily lesson, an original story and a personalized correction, in 15 minutes per day.
Try for free

"It's a real kick in the teeth because we've conceded late but we know what to do. We're not going to let our heads drop."

Images Le Monde.fr

Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen was described as "a huge player" after marking his return for Napoli with a goal that gave the Italian champions a 1-1 draw with Barcelona and hope that a dreadful season might have reached a turning point.

Nigeria forward Osimhen rolled home the leveller with 15 minutes left of the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, in his first match since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 25-year-old equalized Robert Lewandowski's 60th-minute opener, which seemed likely to be the decisive goal as Barca were for long periods the better team, with Napoli's first and only shot on target.

"He's a huge player for us," said Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo to Amazon Prime Video. "He's come back with the right attitude. We knew he would though as he's a great player and professional. He'll give us a hand in the matches to come."

Osimhen had last played for Napoli in a 2-0 defeat at Roma just before Christmas when he was one of two players from his team to be sent off.

His ninth club goal of the season came at a crucial time, not just in the match but in Napoli's campaign as they play under their third manager of the season in Francesco Calzona, their league title defense up in flames.

Calzona had less than 48 hours to prepare for his first match in charge after replacing Walter Mazzarri on Monday night, and Osimhen gave Napoli a chance of progressing despite a disjointed performance by his team.

Napoli head into next month's second leg in the Catalan capital knowing that with Osimhen in the team there is always a chance of a goal regardless of the overall team display.

Le Monde with AFP