Arsenal produced a breathtaking performance in the UEFA Champions League, demolishing PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in their Round of 16 first-leg clash at the Philips Stadion.
Mikel Arteta’s side, brimming with confidence and attacking intent, ran riot against the Dutch champions, as they became the first away team in Champions League history to score seven goals in a knockout stage match.
The Gunners wasted no time asserting their authority, pressing high and dictating play from the outset. The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Jurrien Timber ghosted in at the back post to slot home a well-placed cross from Declan Rice.
It was a fitting moment for the Dutch defender, who was returning to his homeland and marking his first Champions League knockout appearance with a goal.
Arsenal doubled their lead just three minutes later, with 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri etching his name into history. The teenager, making his Champions League knockout debut, tapped in a low cross from fellow academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Things went from bad to worse for the home side in the 31st minute when midfielder Mikel Merino pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area following a chaotic goalmouth scramble. The Spanish international calmly slotted past Walter Benítez, giving Arsenal a commanding 3-0 advantage.
However, just before halftime, the hosts found a lifeline. Luuk de Jong was brought down by Thomas Partey inside the box, and Noa Lang stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.
The goal provided a glimmer of hope for PSV, but Arsenal’s sheer dominance suggested that their comeback chances were slim.
If PSV had any hopes of mounting a second-half resurgence, they were quickly extinguished within minutes of the restart.
Arsenal’s attack continued to tear through the Dutch defense, and in the 48th minute, Leandro Trossard added a fourth with a clinical finish following a flowing team move.
Captain Martin Ødegaard then took center stage, delivering a captain’s performance with a quickfire brace. His first came in the 60th minute when he curled a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of the box, leaving Benítez with no chance.
The Norwegian maestro then doubled his tally in the 73rd minute, capitalizing on a pinpoint pass from Kai Havertz to tap home Arsenal’s sixth goal.
The demolition was completed in the 85th minute when Riccardo Calafiori, on as a substitute, added his name to the scoresheet with a powerful header from a corner.
The Italian’s goal summed up the Gunners’ ruthlesness, making it a night to remember for the traveling Arsenal supporters.
This emphatic win all but seals Arsenal’s place in the quarter-finals, barring an extraordinary collapse in the second leg at the Emirates.
For PSV, the night was one to forget. Their defense was torn apart, their midfield overrun, and their attack nullified. With a six-goal deficit to overturn, their European dream appears all but over.
