(Football news) Arsenal will go back to Emirates with a 2-2 for the second leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie with Sporting CP after both teams played out a frantic draw in the first leg in Lisbon on Thursday. The teams exchanged headed goals from corners in the first half, with William Saliba scoring his first goal for the club as he opened the scoring for the Premier League leaders before Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio equalised for Sporting CP.

Sporting went in front after 10 minutes in the second half through Paulinho before Arsenal drew level with a fortunate own goal when Granit Xhaka’s cross deflected in off Hidemasa Morita. Mikel Arteta had made six changes from the team that beat Bournemouth in dramatic fashion on Saturday as they maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The hero of last match, Reiss Nelson, was handed a rare start while Matt Turner made his first appearance since January.

Sporting heading into this match was on a run of four straight wins in all competitions as they began the match brightly. It was Arsenal, though, who struck first in the 22nd minute as Saliba took advantage of some poor defending in the penalty box to score a header from a Fabio Vieira corner. Arsenal came close to scoring a second goal when Oleksandr Zinchenko got a second chance to score after his initial free-kick was blocked but the fingertips of Antonio Adan turned the ball over the bar.

Sporting, however did get an equaliser when Turner was rooted to his line and debutant Jakub Kiwior ducked out the way which allowed Inacio a free jump inside the six-yard box to head in a Marcus Edwards corner. Turner escaped a nervy moment when his pass back to Saliba in his own box was easily intercepted as the United States No. 1  allowed to jump gratefully on the loose ball. 

In the second half, Turner did well to save the initial Goncalves’ shot after a reverse ball from Edwards but was powerless to prevent Paulinho from the rebound. Arsenal quickly equalised when they benefited from a major stroke of fortune as Xhaka’s cross for Martinell instead struck the chest of Morita to completely wrong foot Adan as the match finished all square ahead of their return leg in London next week.

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