Sporting Braga Vs. Arsenal: Matheaus Brace Sends Gunners Crashing

Consider the first meeting between Arsenal and Sporting Braga. Nearly three months ago, the Gunners welcomes Portgual’s runners-up to Champions League with a 6-0 thumping at the Emirates. While Braga was unable to return the favor today, they may dealt a serious set-back to Arsenal’s Champions League chances.

With their 2-0 win at the AXA, Braga now moves to nine points in Group H, and while they still sit third, they’ve given themselves a chance to advance to the knock-out stage. It’s still a long shot, as they will have to convincingly beat group-leading Shakhtar in Donetsk (with Arsenal’s final match coming against point-less Partizan), but the team that lost by six to start Champions League has at least clinched a spot in Europa League.

And it’s all on account of Matheus, the Braga attacker who opened the scoring with a left-footed goal from 17 yards out, putting the home side in front after 83 minutes. With Lukasz Fabianski charging off his line to challenge Matheus, the Brazilian born striker calmly floated his shot into the left side of Arsenal’s net for the eventual game winning goal.

In stoppage time, Matheus added his second, giving Arsenal their second straight Champions League loss. As a result, Skakhtar sits on top of Group H, having won in Belgrade 3-0 over Partizan. With one point in the next round against visiting Braga, Ukraine’s champions will win the group, but should they lose and Arsenal beat Partizan, three teams will finish tied with 12 points.

Not only would that send one team to Europa League with a record-setting Champions League point total, it would also stress the tournament’s tiebreakers. Under that scenario, Arsenal’s goal difference would likely send them through, baring a lopsided victory by Braga in Donetsk. But without that lopsided victory, Braga will likely lose their tiebreakers to Skakhtar, based on them having lost 3-0 to the Ukrainians in at the AXA.

Braga will likely have to win by four goals in Donetsk to advance, should Arsenal beat Partizan in London.