Soares finds space down the left flank and he skips past one challenge before firing a low cross into the box, but Holding sticks out a boot to make a vital interception.
90' +1
Bruno Duarte has scored a goal for Vitoria Guimaraes! Assist by Rochinha.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! DUARTE SCORES THE EQUALISER!!!!! 1-1!!! Vitoria get a deserved equaliser as Duarte finds the net with an acrobatic effort. Edwards runs down the right flank and stands up a cross into the middle. Rochinha heads across goal and he finds Duarte. The striker lifts himself off the ground and directs his overhead kick into the back of the net, somehow squeezing it through the crowd of yellow shirts on the line.
Rochinha guides a header across goal ands finds Duarte, who provides the acrobatic finish.
90'
There will be five minutes of added time.
87'
Soares tries to release Rochinha behind the Arsenal defence, but the winger is caught offside down the left flank.
85'
Rochinha lines up an ambitious strike at goal from the left edge of the penalty area, but he curls his effort harmlessly over the bar.
84'
Holding has to be alert to clear Soares' delivery into the box, sending it behind for a Vitoria corner.
82'
Léo Bonatini enters the game and replaces Lucas Evangelista.
Bonatini replaces Evangelista for the home side.
80'
S. Mustafi has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by N. Pépé.
Pepe sends a fine cross into the box for Mustafi to head home.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! MUSTAFI HEADS ARSENAL IN FRONT!!!! 1-0!! The Gunners take the lead from a set-piece as the German rises to convert with a header at the back post. Pepe puts the ball on the money with a precise delivery, curling away from Douglas. Mustafi rises unchallenged and he directs his header across goal where the ball rolls into the bottom-left corner.
79'
The tempo of the game has dropped to a standstill at the moment. One team needs to force the issue heading into the final 10 minutes.
Evangelista brings down Martinelli and the visitors have a free-kick in the left side of the Vitoria half.
Minute
Description
78'
L. Torreira enters the game and replaces J. Willock.
Willock makes way for the visitors for Torreira.
75'
Poha takes the resulting free-kick, but he bends his delivery straight into the arms of Martinez.
70'
Both sides have lost impetus in their play as the contest is meandering at the moment. It needs an injection of quality from someone on the pitch.
68'
Rochinha enters the game and replaces Davidson.
Rochinha replaces Davidson for the home side.
66'
R. Holding gets yellow.
Holding pulls back Edwards to prevent him from closing down Tierney and goes into the book.
65'
A. Lacazette enters the game and replaces B. Saka.
Saka is withdrawn for Lacazatte in the final third.
61'
D. Poha enters the game and replaces Pêpê Rodrigues.
Pepe makes way in the Vitoria midfield for Poha.
60'
Guendouzi sends a pass down the right inside channel for Nicolas Pepe, but the Frenchman is caught offside, although replays show that he was being played on by Garcia.
58'
Soares has to clear behind amid pressure from Nicolas Pepe, although he could have prevented the corner.
Fortunately for Soares, Vitoria are able to clear their lines from the corner. Maitland-Niles has a dart into the right inside channel, but he overruns the ball and sends it out for a goal-kick.
56'
Tierney sends a pass behind the Vitoria line for Saka, but the winger sets off a fraction early and is caught offside.
54'
M. Guendouzi enters the game and replaces Dani Ceballos.
Davidson finds space down the left flank and he raids to the byline, but for once his delivery is poor and he sends the ball out for a goal-kick.
Ceballos has to make way due to his hamstring issue and is replaced by Guendouzi.
52'
Nicolas Pepe tries to bundle his way through the Vitoria defence on the edge of the box, but the home side have enough men back to deny the Frenchman.
50'
Martinez has to race off his line to get to the ball ahead of Duarte in the final third. Vitoria are starting to find space behind the Arsenal backline.
48'
Edwards is released down the right inside channel and he surges all the way into the box. He does not have a great deal of support, but he works it back towards Duarte. However, Sokratis is there to clear ahead of the forward.
46'
We're back underway in this Europa League clash.
45'
HALF-TIME: VITORIA SC 0-0 ARSENAL
44'
Saka and Tierney go down in quick succession and the referee awards the foul for the second challenge on the left-back by Pepe.
43'
Holding commits his second foul of the contest as he takes out Edwards on the right flank. The defender manages to avoid a booking.
41'
OVER! Evangelista tries his luck from distance for the hosts, only to blast his effort well over the bar.
40'
Edwards almost releases Davidson in the box with a throughball behind the Arsenal line, but Sokratis is there to produce a vital clearance to send it behind.
39'
The contest is getting a tad scrapy before the break. Both sides are struggling for fluency, although the wet conditions could be playing a part.
37'
Emery will be concerned by his side's performance in the first half. They've been far too open at the back and have barely threatened in the final third.
35'
Saka tries to work the ball towards Martinelli in the final third, but Garcia covers back to make the interception before clearing into touch.
33'
Rafa Soares gets yellow.
Soares dives in on Nicolas Pepe and goes into the book for his poor challenge.
29'
Garcia takes on the strike from distance for the hosts, looking to use the wet conditions to his advantage. Martinez watches the ball all the way and makes the stop.
27'
Nicolas Pepe and Maitland-Niles combine down the right flank and the latter wins a corner off the legs of Soares.
Sokratis fouls Davidson with a shove in the box from the resulting corner, allowing Vitoria to clear their lines from the free-kick.
25'
Edwards tries to turn Holding and gets brought down by the Arsenal defender. Vitoria have a free-kick in a decent position.
21'
A loose ball in the Vitoria box almost drops for Nicolas Pepe, but the home side are able to scramble it behind for a corner.
18'
S. Mustafi gets yellow.
Mustafi pulls back Davidson and he goes into the book.
16'
Edwards nods a cross from Davidson on into the left inside channel, but Martinez is alert to race off his line to gather the ball ahead of Duarte.
15'
Agu lines up a drive from distance as Arsenal fail to close down the strike. However, the midfielder sends a tame effort wide of the target.
14'
The Portuguese outfit are not allowing the Gunners to settle into the contest. They've been combative from the off and have been a threat in the final third.
12'
Davidson again causes problems down the left and he sends a low ball into the middle that just evades Duarte on the slide. Vitoria have made a good start to the contest.
9'
Davidson has a run at Maitland-Niles down the left flank, but the Arsenal wing-back holds his ground to make a clean tackle to quell the attack.
6'
Venancio takes the ball forward from the back for the hosts. He has options, but sends his pass straight out for a throw-in in the Arsenal half. Not the best offload from the Vitoria defender.
5'
Arsenal look to hit the home side on the break and Willock releases Saka in the final third. However, the cross from the winger sails out for a goal-kick.
3'
CLOSE! Tierney is released into space down the left flank and he bends a dangerous cross into the box. It just evades Nicolas Pepe, but Maitland-Niles gathers in the right inside channel. He places a low ball into the middle that travel inches away from Saka and out for a goal-kick.
1'
We're underway in this Europa League contest.
Arsenal lose possession on the edge of their own box and Davidson collects before firing at goal. He gets a decent connection on the strike, but sends it well wide of the target.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Europa League clash between Vitoria SC and Arsenal at the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques.
Vitoria are in dire need of a win today to keep their slim hopes of reaching the next phase of the competition alive. They almost pulled off a huge upset in the last round of fixtures at the Emirates Stadium. The Portuguese outfit led the Gunners 2-1 heading into the final 10 minutes. However, a brace from Nicolas Pepe secured a late comeback win for Unai Emery's men. Vitoria have been inconsistent in the Portuguese Liga since, losing to Sporting Lisbon before hammering Belenenses. They drew last time out against Moreirense, but will need something special to overcome Arsenal today.
Arsenal and Emery remain under huge pressure amid their woes on the field. Their win over Vitoria offered respite, although matters have not improved great deal since. They've given up leads in their last three games, drawing in the Premier League against Crystal Palace and Wolves, while losing the EFL Cup in a 10-goal thriller against Liverpool at Anfield. There is not a great deal to be gained for Emery in the contest, while the Spaniard has also had to replace his captain after Granit Xhaka's outburst in the draw against Palace. Anything other than a win today could spell the end for Emery in the dugout.
VITORIA SC (4-3-3): Douglas; Victor Garcia, Frederico Vernancio, Edmond Tapsoba, Rafa Soares; Pepe, Agu, Lucas Evangelista; Marcus Edwards, Bruno Duarte, Davidson.
VITORIA SUBS: Leo Bonatini, Rochinha, Al Musrati, Andre Pereira, Denis Poha, Florent Hanin, Miguel Silva.
ARSENAL SUBS: Bernd Leno, Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette, Lucas Torreira, Reiss Nelson, Matteo Guendouzi, Sead Kolasinac.
ARSENAL (3-4-3): Emiliano Martinez; Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Rob Holding; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Dani Ceballos, Joe Willock, Kieran Tierney; Nicolas Pepe, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka.
The Gunners have not managed to get Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli into the game enough. It has been far too comfortable for Vitoria at the back. It could prompt changes from Emery at the break to spark his team into life.
Arsenal were forced to hang on at the death to take a point from their Europa League clash against Vitoria SC this evening. The Gunners took the lead with nine minutes to play through a header from Shkodran Mustafi. However, once again they were unable to hold on to a lead and the Portuguese outfit notched a deserved equaliser through Bruno Duarte. Mustafi came inches away from scoring an own goal, while Rochinha sent an effort wide in stoppage time as the home side came close to snatching the win. Vitoria had the better of the openings throughout the contest and could have been two goals ahead before Mustafi scored. Ivo Vieira's men are now all but out of the competition, while the Gunners will have to wait before they can secure their place in the next phase following the draw.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Vitoria are next in action at the weekend in the Primeira Liga against Sporting Braga at home on Sunday, while Arsenal travel to face Leicester City in the Premier League.
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