Arsenal grind out win over Shakhtar in Champions League

Arsenal`s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus controls the ball in front of Shakhtar Donetsk`s Ukrainian goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk (rear R) during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in north London. Pic/AFP

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal were suffering from "fatigue" after an own goal from Shakhtar Donetsk keeper Dmytro Riznyk gave the Gunners a 1-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday. Arteta's side crashed to a damaging 2-0 defeat against the Cherries in the Premier League last weekend. That was Arsenal's first loss in all competitions since the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Bayern Munich in April. Their response against Shakhtar was unconvincing, but they did enough to claim three points thanks to Riznyk's first half own goal from Gabriel Martinelli's strike. Leandro Trossard missed a late Arsenal penalty that would have put a flattering gloss on the scoreline at the Emirates Stadium.

"It's always difficult in Champions League. We should have scored more in first half and the second half I felt a bit of fatigue," Arteta said. "Credit to Shakhtar, they are brave. When you give them time on the ball and you lose the ball you will suffer. "Playing 60 minutes with 10 men a few days ago is difficult. We left the game a bit open but we dug in for three points." Frustrated that Trossard took the penalty instead of Kai Havertz, Arteta added: "I don't know. He is one of the takers but Leo took it." Worryingly for Arteta, Riccardo Calafiori was forced off in the second half after appearing to injury his knee in the latest injury blow for a team currently missing Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber. Arteta is already without suspended French defender William Saliba for Sunday's crucial Premier League clash with leaders Liverpool.

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"Saka is not training yet so he won't be available and Calafiori felt something and could not stay on. Bit of a worry," Arteta said. Arteta had urged his players to use the "pain" of that setback as motivation against Shakhtar, but the response was tepid. The Gunners have seven points from their opening three Champions League games, yet this was a far cry from the impressive 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain in their previous tie. With one point from three games, Shakhtar remain without a goal in the Champions League this term. The Ukrainian champions spent 17 hours travelling to north London by bus, train and plane, setting off from Kiev on Friday and stopping in Lviv before reaching Poland for a flight to England. Unable to play home European fixtures in Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, Marino Pushych's side competed gamely but lacked a cutting edge.

Lethargic Arsenal

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino compared his side to an NBA basketball team after nine of the starting line-up at Bournemouth stood over 6ft tall. That imposing strength is key to Arsenal's set-piece prowess and they should have taken an early lead from Trossard's corner, only for Calafiori to shoot wastefully over from close-range. Arsenal were in control without ever looking dominant before their fortuitous opener in the 29th minute. Martinelli teased the Shakhtar defence with a menacing raid before cutting inside to unload a low drive that hit the post and rebounded into the net off the unlucky Riznyk's back. Gabriel Jesus had the captain's armband as Arteta tried to give him a confidence boost following 22 games without a goal.

But Jesus was guilty of a poor finish, taking Havertz's pass and shooting too close to Riznyk from close-range. Trossard headed wide from Martinelli's cross before Riznyk plunged to his right to keep out Martinelli's blast. Unusually subdued in attack, Arsenal squandered a golden opportunity in the closing stages when Valerii Bondar blocked Merino's cross with an out-stretched arm. Trossard took the penalty but his tame effort was easily saved by Riznyk, a miss that sparked a nervous finale for lethargic Arsenal. Pedrinho's powerful strike from 18 yards was pushed away by Arsenal keeper David Raya before Marlon Gomes' header was gratefully clutched by the Spaniard as the Gunners held on.

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