Arsenal rebounded from their disappointing defeat to Bournemouth with a narrow 1-0 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday, thanks to an own goal by Shakhtar keeper Dmytro Riznyk.
Following a damaging 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend, which marked Arsenal’s first defeat in all competitions since their Champions League quarter-final exit at Bayern Munich in April, the Gunners faced Shakhtar with the aim of restoring confidence.
Although the response was unconvincing, Arsenal managed to secure the three points, with Riznyk inadvertently turning Gabriel Martinelli’s strike into his own net during the first half. Leandro Trossard missed a late penalty that could have padded the scoreline at the Emirates Stadium.
The match brought further injury concerns for manager Mikel Arteta, as Riccardo Calafiori was forced to leave the field in the second half with a knee injury. The team is already grappling with absences, including key players Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Jurrien Timber, along with suspended French defender William Saliba for their upcoming crucial clash against league leaders Liverpool.
Midfielder Declan Rice acknowledged that the team let their “standards slip” following Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth, which played a significant role in their first Premier League defeat this season. Arteta had encouraged his players to channel the “pain” from that loss as motivation for the match against Shakhtar, but the performance fell short of expectations.
Despite securing seven points from their opening three Champions League games, Arsenal’s display against Shakhtar was a stark contrast to their impressive 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in their previous encounter. Meanwhile, Shakhtar remains without a point and a goal in the Champions League this season, having earned just one point from three matches.