SOCCER: Arsenal scrape past Sporting to reach Champions League semi-finals

Arsenal edged past Sporting to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the second successive season with a 0-0 home draw earning them a 1-0 aggregate victory on Wednesday (April 15).

It was far from convincing though for Mikel Arteta's side, as they held on to the lead given to them by Kai Havertz's stoppage-time goal in Lisbon last week.

The well-organised visitors posed a threat at times and almost went ahead on the night shortly before halftime when Geny Catamo's volley clipped the outside of the post.

Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard also struck the woodwork in the tense latter stages of a dour game in which Sporting ran out of ideas and could not prevent the hosts keeping an eighth clean sheet in 12 Champions League games this season to set up a semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid.

-Gerry Mey, Hannah McKay, Peter Cziborra, Kurt Michael Hall/Reuters