The night drew low and Wednesday (23) dawned with a narrow 1-0 victory over Sacta at their own stadium, making it two consecutive wins in the EU competition, however, the joy of the victory did not hide the gloom behind it. Left winger Karakoli was unfortunate to suffer a knee injury and had to leave the field. His absence may make the Premier League match at home to Liverpool in the early hours of next Monday (28) particularly difficult.
Arsenal broke a 29-minute goal drought at the start of the game. Gabier Martinelli made a stunning solo break down the left and sent the ball into the center of the field. Although his shot hit the post, the rebound fortunately found its way beyond the defense of Sacta goalkeeper Lesnik, bringing Arsenal the luck of this victory.
Midway through the second half, a Sacta player created a handball in the box. After confirmation from VAR, the referee awarded Arsenal a penalty kick. Liandu Dusat took the penalty, but it was cleverly blocked by Lesnik with his foot. Luckily for Arsenal, the win held up until the final whistle.
However, Arsenal manager Ardida has a smile on his face as Caracoli's injury does not seem to be serious. The Italian international had suffered a knee injury in September and this time it doesn't appear to be any better. With injuries to Kenyo Tomoyasu, Zulian Timba and Kieran Tejani, Caracoli's departure from the game has forced Adi Da to bring on 18-year-old youngster Liviš Skili in his place. The left side of the Arsenal's defense seems to be running out of steam. If Karakoli is unable to make a comeback against Liverpool, Arsenal's defense will undoubtedly face a tough test.
