LISBON — Arsenal's David Raya was hailed as the world's best goalkeeper by teammate Kai Havertz, after the pair inspired Tuesday's 1-0 win at Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.

Raya made a trio of vital saves to keep stuttering Arsenal in the game at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

The Spaniard tipped Maxi Araujo's drive onto the crossbar and kept out Geny Catamo's low effort, before making another fine stop to parry a Catamo header away late in the second half.

Below its best for long spells, Arsenal capitalized on Raya's man-of-the-match display to end its two-game losing run.

Havertz calmly converted a pass from fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage-time, making Arsenal the firm favorite to advance to the semifinals when it hosts Sporting in the second leg on April 15.

Raya's return to the team was vital after being rested for Arsenal's League Cup final loss to Manchester City and its embarrassing FA Cup quarterfinal defeat to second-tier Southampton.

Raya's deputy Kepa Arrizabalaga made a costly mistake that led to City's opener at Wembley — a stark contrast to Raya's heroics in Lisbon.

"Unbelievable. I think he is still underestimated in the world of football, but, for me, the last two seasons, he is the best keeper in the world," Havertz said.

"He's outstanding, he's saved us so many times and we're very glad to have him."

'He's phenomenal'

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta echoed Havertz after Raya's seventh Champions League clean sheet this season.

"At the moment, he's phenomenal and extraordinary since he joined us. We are very lucky to have him," he said.

"He had two moments where he made two big saves. And that's the Champions League.

"The Champions League is always decided in the boxes because there's so much quality here."

Raya felt his first save from Araujo was the decisive moment in the game, as it kept Arsenal afloat in a difficult period.

"I think that's a turning moment. It was a quick transition from them, a great strike, but I managed to get a fingertip to it to hit the bar," he said.

"It's one of those moments that can change games.

"It's something that I'm there for. I'm trying to help the team as much as possible in any single action, not just defending, but to be commanding and on the ball.

"You have to be focused, no matter what you're doing, whether you're touching the ball or not.

"I'm so delighted with myself and, of course, the win."

Again, Arsenal's mentality has been questioned during its most recent wobble.

However, the Premier League leader remains on course for a first English title in 22 years, and is still in the hunt for its first-ever Champions League crown.

Focus on the present

"We believe 100 percent that we can win the Champions League. We go game by game and show what we can do," Raya said.

"We just have to focus on the present, that's the most important thing, but, of course, we have full belief.

"We've come from two losses, we learn from those moments, that pain when you lose a game.

"We use that pain in the belly to go out there and express ourselves, be ourselves and try to be better every single day.

"That's the main message we have to send out there."

Victory saw Arsenal bounce back from successive defeats in recent weeks that have cut its quadruple trophy hunt in half. Losses in the League Cup final and FA Cup quarterfinals had shaken the Gunners going into Tuesday's match.

Defeat was Sporting's first at home since August. The Portuguese team has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

"A small lapse in concentration cost us dearly, and it's frustrating because it happened in the 90th minute, but we have to lift our heads and move on," Sporting coach Rui Borges told Sport TV.

The scenes of celebration for Arsenal's players were in stark contrast to the dejection that followed the League Cup final loss to Manchester City and the shock of being beaten by Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday.

"We had to reveal ourselves today, and I talked about identity and other things that we are as a team, and that I definitely saw," Arteta said."It's halftime. We are a step closer, now we need to finish the tie at home in front of our people, and, if we do that, we're going to start to dream."