Arsenal's Europa League last-16 tie with Sporting Lisbon is finely poised after the Gunners secured a 2-2 draw in Thursday's first leg at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

William Saliba opened the scoring with a 22nd-minute header from Fábio Vieira's corner before Sporting scored a similar goal at the other end 12 minutes later as Gonçalo Inácio glanced home Marcus Edwards' delivery.

Paulinho gave the home side the lead 10 minutes after the restart before Gabriel Martinelli almost scored a sublime solo goal, dribbling from inside his own half and rounding Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adan, only for Jeremiah St. Juste to make a last-ditch intervention. Arsenal restored parity on 62 minutes when Sporting CP's Hidemasa Morita suffered the misfortune of diverting Granit Xhaka's pass into his own net.

The second leg takes place next Thursday with Arsenal hoping they can secure their place in the quarterfinals for the fourth time in six seasons.