Arsenal 7-1 PSV Eindhoven
Mikel Arteta’s side has one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals after a stunning victory in the first leg of the Round of 16.
After failing to win in their last two Premier League matches, Arsenal bounced back in style, delivering a dominant performance on the European stage. The Gunners put on a goal fest against PSV Eindhoven, securing a commanding 7-1 win on Tuesday night.
The English side ran riot on their opponent’s home turf, scoring three goals in the first half and adding four more after the break.
Martin Ødegaard led the charge with a brace, while Jurriën Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori each found the net once.
Noa Lang scored PSV’s only goal from the penalty spot.
With this result, Arsenal became the first team in Champions League history to score seven or more goals in a knockout stage away match.
Despite missing key players like Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka due to injuries, Arsenal delivered a record-breaking performance. Their recent struggles in the Premier League, which included a 1-0 loss to West Ham and a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest, were quickly forgotten with this emphatic win.
How the Match Unfolded
Arsenal thought they had taken an early lead in the 12th minute when Declan Rice found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. PSV had their best chance four minutes later when Ismael Saibari’s close-range effort hit the crossbar.
Then came Arsenal’s rapid-fire double strike. In the 18th minute, Timber headed in Rice’s cross from the left to open the scoring—his first-ever Champions League goal. Just three minutes later, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri doubled the lead with a composed finish after Miles Lewis-Skelly’s pass deflected into his path.
Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino made it 3-0 in the 31st minute with a low shot after a deflection inside the box.
PSV pulled one back just before halftime when Noa Lang converted a penalty after Thomas Partey fouled Luuk de Jong in the box.
Arsenal, however, wasted no time reasserting their dominance. Ødegaard netted Arsenal’s fourth goal in the 47th minute, followed by Trossard’s strike just a minute later, extending their lead to 5-1.
The Gunners continued to control the game, and in the 73rd minute, Ødegaard grabbed his second of the night. Finally, in the 85th minute, Calafiori put the finishing touch on Arsenal’s historic win with the team’s seventh goal.
Other Matches of the Night
Elsewhere, Real Madrid edged past Atlético Madrid with a 2-1 victory, while Borussia Dortmund played out a 1-1 draw with Lille. In the day’s early fixture, Aston Villa secured a 3-1 win against Club Brugge.
