Arsenal bounced back from their weekend disappointment with a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, a much-needed result after their Premier League defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday that saw Mikel Arteta bemoaning missed chances.
Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk's own goal in the 29th minute proved to be the difference, as the Gunners edged out the Ukrainian side to maintain their unbeaten start in Europe.
The breakthrough came when Gabriel Martinelli’s shot struck the post and deflected off Riznyk’s back before trickling over the line. It was a fortunate goal, but Arsenal’s bright start had set the tone for their dominance in the first half. Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Jesus had chances to increase the lead, but Riznyk, despite his unfortunate own goal, produced a solid performance to keep his team in the game.
Shakhtar remained dangerous on the counter, with winger Eguinaldo keeping Arsenal’s defence alert. However, despite missing key players like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Arsenal's backline held firm.
Mikel Arteta’s side, already dealing with several injury problems, saw further concerns as Ben White was substituted at halftime after picking up a yellow card, and Calafiori had to be withdrawn due to an injury. Arteta later admitted that Calafiori's injury was worrying, adding to an already growing list of sidelined players.
Arsenal had the chance to seal the game late on when they were awarded a penalty for a handball by Valerii Bondar. However, Leandro Trossard’s weak spot-kick was saved by Riznyk, keeping the match on a knife edge. Shakhtar nearly made it 1-1 in stoppage time but Pedrinho's shot forced a superb save from David Raya.
While not their most convincing performance, the victory leaves them in a strong position with seven points from three group-stage matches.
Looking ahead, the Gunners will now turn their focus to a crucial Premier League clash against Liverpool, though Arteta will be concerned about the team’s growing injury list as they face a tough schedule.
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