Arsenal have one foot in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after their emphatic first-leg victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. The 7-1 victory in the Netherlands secured the biggest away win in the knockout stage of Champions League history.
Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori each found the net, while Martin Ødegaard bagged a brace. Noa Lang scored a consolation goal for the home side.
Here are the key takeaways from the match.
1. Goals in Quick Succession Propel Arsenal to Dominance
Mikel Arteta’s men started the match with high intensity. They had an early penalty shout and thought they had taken the lead within minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. However, their relentless attacking play soon paid off as they scored three times in a blistering 13-minute spell.
Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 18th minute after some clever play from Declan Rice. The Gunners doubled their lead three minutes later when Myles Lewis-Skelly delivered a low cross that Ethan Nwaneri converted from close range. Arsenal then made it 3-0 as their relentless pressing forced PSV center-back Ryan Flamingo into an error, his misplaced pass went straight to Mikel Merino, who found the bottom corner. After a brief VAR check for offside, the goal was confirmed.
Arsenal maintained their momentum into the second half, striking twice in quick succession. Martin Ødegaard capitalized on a poor clearance from PSV goalkeeper Walter Benítez to make it 4-0. Within a minute, the Gunners added a fifth, as a slick passing exchange between Riccardo Calafiori and Leandro Trossard ended with the Belgian firing home.