SC Braga undo Arsenal as Cesc Fabregas limps off
Arsenal suffered their second successive defeat in all competitions on Tuesday 23 November, as SC Braga defeated the Londoners 2–0 in the Champions League.
Arsene Wenger's team needed only a point from their trip to Portugal to secure qualification into the knock-out stages, but Leite Matheus' late brace means Arsenal are now in need of a victory against FK Partizan in the last round to qualify.
That game may have to be played in the absence of Cesc Fabregas, as Arsenal's influential captain limped off in the second half of the game with what appeared to be an aggravation of his hamstring problem.
Wenger made several changes to the team that started against Tottenham on 20 November, with Emmanuel Eboue, Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere and Nicklas Bendtner all earning starts.
Left-back Gibbs, who earned his first England start against France on 17 November, skipped behind the Braga defence and nearly found Bendtner early on, but Braga defender Moises was alert to the danger and cleared the ball.
For much of the first half, the visitors kept possession and were less interested in attacking than keeping their defensive positions well enough to outmuscle the Portuguese when the ball was lost.
Fabregas lined up to strike a free kick over the Braga wall, but goalkeeper Felipe was equal to the soft drive, tipping the ball over the bar before coming out to stop Walcott from pouncing on the Arsenal captain's through ball.
Braga's only hope of scoring came when striker Lima found himself enough space to strike at Lukasz Fabianski from 25 yards, but the shot went just wide of the right post.
After the break, Mathues hit a shot just wide before Luis Aguiar, pouncing on Sebastien Squillaci's defensive lapse, did the same.
With 69 minutes gone in the sedated affair, Fabregas signalled his need to be replaced to the distress of Wenger, who sent on the in-form Samir Nasri in his place.
Carlos Vela, another substitute, took center stage with ten minutes left, tumbling after Alberto Rodriguez's challenge in the box, but the Mexican received only a booking from referee Viktor Kassai.
In the 83rd minute, it was Matheus' time to shine as the striker broke clear of the snoozing Arsenal defence to curl a shot to the left of Fabianski.
The Brazilian pounced again in extra time, advancing from the half-way line and holding off Gibbs and Squillaci before tucking his shot high into the left corner.
Arsenal are still second on Group H with nine points, level with Braga and three points behind leaders Shakhtar Donetsk. Partizan, Arsenal's next opponents, have yet to collect any points in the group.
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