Arsenal fight back to earn draw in Lisbon prior to swapping River ...

ARSENAL’S second fightback of the week proved to be far more prosaic in Portugal.

If balmy sunshine on the Iberian peninsula — rather than snow in Britain — was the order of the day, there were to be no last-minute fireworks to match the intensity of last weekend's improbable comeback against Bournemouth to speak of. 

In beguiling Lisbon on Thursday, an unsteady Gunners starting XI staged a heartening rally after falling behind in the second half to seal an enthralling, if not completely convincing draw in the first leg of this Europa League round of 16 tie. 

Despite boss Mikel Arteta appearing to view this tournament as a drain on his increasingly meagre resources, rather than an entertaining distraction that could form the second part of an uneven diptych in the continued for silverware, the north Londoners should approach next week’s second leg with a certain level of confidence, instead of trepidation.

For while Ruben Amorim’s side were game opponents, their flickering if rapid attacks tended to merely unsettle rather than rattle the visitors, with Sporting’s front line lacking a requisite incisiveness required to have relentlessly alarmed an unsure defence.

Despite post-match uncertainty over the fitness — and, strangely — the whereabouts of Gabriel Jesus, the Brazil star failed to travel to Portugal for the match.

Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney were left out as a precaution after feeling unwell, with the club stressing the issues were “nothing serious.” 

This led to Arteta picking a hybrid starting XI and a bench packed with raw youngsters, that left one wondering just where in his list of priorities the Europa League lies.

January signing Jakob Kiwior made his debut, which, alas, proved to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Chelsea arrival Jorginho also started, supplemented by the steadying influence of Olexsandr Zinchenko and Granit Xhaka, with Saturday’s last-gasp matchwinner Reiss Nelson also featuring.

Former Gunner Hector Bellerin, who joined Sporting on loan from Barcelona failed to feature.

There was an early scare when Pedro Goncalves cut inside onto his right foot in space following a driving run, before curling the ball wide of Matt Turner’s far post, prior to the 24-year-old attacking midfielder who once spent an underwhelming season with Wolves falling to the ground in frustration. 

William Saliba put Arsenal 1-0 ahead on 22 minutes when he emphatically headed home a Fabio Vieira corner.

The opener sparked a melee which saw Zinchenko and Sebastian Coates booked.

The caution for the latter meaning the former Liverpool defender now misses the second leg in London next week.

Amorim’s side rallied, with 21-year-old Goncalo Inacio testing Turner with a low shot from outside the area that the US keeper did well to turn away for a corner.

What was less impressive was the Arsenal backline then allowing the Portuguese U21 international defender acres of space in the box, which saw Inacio head home utterly unimpeded from former Spurs player Marcus Edwards corner, to make the score 1-1.

Equally concerning was the bizarre way new Serie A arrival Kiwior ducked out of the way of the ball en route to Inacio.

While the former Spezia defender appeared to have a handy burst of pace when required, it was his abject failure to contest for the ball in his own workplace that lingered long in the memory, his baffling bungle prompting serious fears over his viable, long-term future rather than any misplaced hilarity at such a revealingly poor vignette into his defensive ability. 

The home support ramped up noise levels still further after the leveller, following on from their rousing version of a Portuguese My Way prior to kick-off.

Frank Sinatra’s classic was amplified with added mournfulness through the resonant prism of Portuguese “fado” music, a haunting, forlorn aural beauty that essentially underscores the feeling of unfulfilled yearning.

There was to be further yearning when the home side nearly went ahead through Edwards — the 24-year-old former Winchmore School alumnus testing the increasingly busy Turner, who rose to the challenge to push the ball inches past the post.

There was still time for Xhaka’s header to be kept out by keeper Antonio Adan and the woodwork, a quick VAR confirming the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

Amorim had spoken before the match about wanting his side to test themselves against the Premier League leaders.

They certainly did that when Paulinho scored on 55 minutes to put the Leoes — Lions — 2-1 ahead, to send the majority of the 36,036 inside the stadium into raptures.

However, Arsenal refused to give in and levelled for 2-2, seven minutes later, with their pressure forcing Hidemasa Morita to put through his own net via a Xhaka effort. 

This time it was the turn of the travelling supporters to celebrate joyously, noting, with no little glee: “Just like Benfica/We’re top of the league,” in a playful nod to Lisbon’s travails in Primera Liga that sees them currently sit in fourth place, a whopping 15 points behind their city neighbours, otherwise known as the Eagles.

Despite plenty of endeavour in the closing stages, along with a raft of substitutes, this tie looks evenly set in London next Thursday, after an absorbing draw here in the Portuguese capital.

“We had periods in the game where we were in a lot of control,” reflected Arteta after the match, adding “but we lacked a little bit of strength in the final third because we had to adjust today with the players we did not have available. 

“We conceded two very poor goals that we have to do better on and show much more determination to defend our box in those moments.

“At that level away from home, it puts the tie in a really difficult position, but we managed to react.”

Arteta and Arsenal face a tricky week in prospect, with the Gunners first taking on Fulham at Craven Cottage this Sunday.

With former Sporting boss Marco Silva’s Cottagers coming into the game under extra pressure following their 3-2 defeat to West London rivals Brentford on Monday evening, the clash promises to be another exciting derby in the capital.

With Thomas Frank’s Bees side hunting the single Europa Conference League place on offer for seventh spot, currently occupied by Fulham this weekend’s clash is important for both sides as Arsenal swap the River Tagus for the River Thames.

Kick-off at 2pm, while Sporting play Boavista at 8.30pm on Sunday prior to the return leg in north London.