Arsenal found themselves shocked when Galeno netted a stoppage-time goal, granting Porto the upper hand in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 matchup.
The Brazilian winger calmly took several touches to position himself before elegantly curling a superb shot into the net, eluding David Raya’s desperate full-stretch dive.
Sergio Conceicao’s team, playing at home, missed a golden opportunity to take the lead before halftime when Galeno struck the post and failed to convert the rebound.
It was a fortunate escape for Arsenal, but Galeno ensured there were no second chances with a clinical finish in the dying moments of the match.
Earlier in the first half, Nico Gonzalez unleashed a powerful shot that sailed over the crossbar as the home team pushed to break the deadlock.
Despite dominating possession, the Gunners were unable to register a single shot on target throughout the match, with William Saliba and Kai Havertz missing the mark with headers from corner kicks.
The return leg is scheduled for March 12th at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal will strive to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
Arsenal enjoyed numerous set-piece chances but struggled to find the back of the net with precision. In one such instance, a corner delivered by Declan Rice was met on the volley by Leandro Trossard, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
Lacklustre Arsenal punished by streetwise Porto
In their first Champions League knockout tie since 2017, Arsenal appeared tense and failed to exhibit the dazzling form that had seen them score 21 goals in their first five Premier League games of the year.
For only the second time since 2003-04, the Gunners failed to register a shot on target in a Champions League match, having previously done so against Barcelona in the last 16 in March 2011.
Bukayo Saka struggled to make an impact against the Porto defense, while Havertz missed a headed chance as clear-cut opportunities were scarce.
Mikel Arteta’s team seemed content with a draw but switched off at the end, allowing Galeno to punish them with a brilliant goal.
Porto, currently third in the Liga Portugal, seven points behind Benfica and Sporting Lisbon, controlled the game against Arsenal, who have yet to win at the Estadio do Dragao in four attempts, with one draw and three losses.
Arsenal have won the first leg in just one of their last 12 two-legged knockout ties in the competition (D2, L9), losing each of the last seven first-leg matches.
To avoid being eliminated in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition for the eighth consecutive time, Arsenal will need a significantly improved performance in London next month.