Arsenal on Thursday qualified for the round of 32 in the Europa League despite a barren draw with Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates stadium in a match that lacked real firepower.
The Gunners came into the game, looking to continue a perfect start to the campaign this season like their London counterpart, Chelsea, who had earlier defeated BATE Barisov by a lone goal to record their fourth win on four Europa League games.
It was howerver not to be as they found it hard to create real goalscoring chances and neither were their opponents any better.
Unai Emery effected 9 changes from the team that started on Sunday evening against Liverpool with Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Hector Bellerin, Bernd Leno and Granit Xhaka all been left at home.
Arsenal were forced into an early substitution in the first half after Danny Welbeck fell and appeared to break his leg. The striker had to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher with the aid of oxygen
It would be a big blow for both club and Country as the former Manchester United striker was named by Gareth Southgate in the England squad earlier on Thursday but is now set to miss the international break and the near future afterwards.
And although Lisbon were reduced to 10-men with less than 5 minutes to go after former Barcelona defender, Mathieu brought down Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang who had outrun the defence, following a sloppy backward play from the visitors' midfield, it did little damage.
Arsenal therefore progressed into the next round only looking for a win or at least a draw - should Lisbon fail to lose their next game- to secure top spot.
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