Galeno’s spectacular goal deep into stoppage time in Porto’s Champions League last-16 match against Arsenal on Wednesday gave the team an unexpected 1-0 victory in dramatic fashion.
The dull match ended in a draw until the fifth minute of extra time, when the Brazilian winger turned a lethal shot past David Raya to enthral the Estadio Do Dragao crowd.
Arsenal, who had scored 21 goals in their previous five Premier League games, was oddly quiet on offence and didn’t manage to generate a shot on goal the whole game.
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They put up a respectable defence, but they might come to regret their lack of will as Galeno gave Porto the advantage before the second leg on March 12 in London.
Having finished in the last 16 of their previous seven Champions League seasons, Arsenal is looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
Fortunately for Arsenal, Porto has a dismal away record against English teams, having conceded 11 goals in three visits to the Emirates without ever scoring a goal.
However, the thirty-time Portuguese winners will go with optimism.
Despite having possession throughout the game, Arteta’s team never really looked like scoring, with the exception of a few headers from corners by William Saliba and Kai Havertz.
Porto gained momentum and, despite a deft counterattack, managed to not take the lead in the twenty-first minute.
Galeno struck the far post with a forceful shot, and when the ball quickly returned to him, he squinted the rebound painfully wide of the other post.
With Pepe, who is 40 years old and the oldest player to compete in a Champions League knockout round, demonstrating his depth of experience in the back, Porto handled Arsenal’s attack with ease and silenced England forward Bukayo Saka.
Evanilson drove a shot at Raya just before the half, giving Porto another opportunity to threaten.
Arsenal was unable to establish any rhythm against their cunning hosts in the second half, which was even less thrilling than the first.
The greatest, though, was left for last when Galeno took advantage of a lost ball to go to the edge of the penalty area, looked up, and bent a shot past Raya.