It will probably not matter to Arsenal’s Europa League campaign but they found another cruel and unusual way to self-immolate here. A largely dire performance was lit up, after a fashion, when Shkodran Mustafi headed them into an 80th-minute lead with their first effort on target but this side’s capacity to crumble after going ahead can never be underestimated. So it was that, in stoppage time, Bruno Duarte acrobatically gave Vitória Guimarães a deserved first point in Group F and the Portuguese team could even have won it after that. Arsenal require a point from their final two games in order to progress, but that was the best encouragement they could take from another shapeless day’s work.
A combination of persistent drizzle, a half-full stadium and a strangely-timed kick-off lent this tie a subdued feel at the outset. It is doubtful where a start time of 3.50pm will ever catch on but that is what those who managed to rearrange their working hours were offered, on account of nearby Braga’s home meeting with Besiktas tomorrow night and the Champions League schedule later on Wednesday.
Written by Nick Ames at the Estádio D Afonso Henriques
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/nov/06/vitoria-guimaraes-arsenal-europa-league-group-f-match-report under the title “Vitória Guimarães’ Bruno Duarte strikes late to deny Arsenal in Europa League”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
