Arsenal become first away team to score seven goals in UCL knockout stage

Arsenal scored four second half goals to dismantle a poor PSV Eindhoven side 7-1 in their UEFA Champions League (UCL) round of 16 first leg clash at the Philips Stadium on Tuesday.

The Gunners went into Europe after a crashed title challenge in the English Premier League (EPL). But they suffered no mental breakdown and forgot their home troubles to produce a spectacular performance in the Netherlands.

Six different goalscorers were witnessed on the night for the visitors, with Martin Odegaard claiming a brace, while Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino,

Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori also weighed in with goals on a big European night for Mikel Arteta’s side.

PSV hit the bar through Ismael Saibari against the run of play. The effort was but a cue for Arsenal to improve their finishing skills, with Timber glancing a header into the net for the opener on 19 minutes.

It was 2-0 three minutes later through Nwaneri’s curler into the far corner. Merino then pounced on a failed clearance to make it 3-0 on 31 minutes.

Noa Lang converted a penalty to reduce the deficit for PSV with a 3-1 score going into halftime. However, the electrifying visitors restored their three-goal lead two minutes after the restart through Odegaard, their captain, who tapped home for 4-1.

Trossard then made it 5-1 two minutes later with a poked finish, before Odegaard completed his brace with a long-range strike on 73 minutes to pile more misery on their hosts. Odegaard then squared for Calafiori to join the goalscoring party and complete a 7-1 victory for Arsenal.

Victory is Arsenal’s fifth consecutive win in the UCL, equaling the record set in the 2005/06 UCL season. The visitors also made it three straight away wins in the UCL for the first time since 2015.

The Gunners also made history as the first side in UCL history to score seven goals away from home in the knockout stages. For PSV, it is the first time they have conceded five or more goals at home in Europe.

In other matches, Brahim Diaz’s low strike was the winner for Real Madrid who overpowered Atletico Madrid, their crosstown rivals, 2-1 in their first leg clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Julian Alvarez had earlier canceled Rodrygo’s early lead. Raphael Onyedika, Nigeria international, played 90 minutes for Club Brugge in their disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa.

RESULTS

Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Lille
PSV Eindhoven 1-7 Arsenal
Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa