Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal: Goals from Noni Maduke’s de Gaulle and Gabriel Martinelli either side of half-time ensured the Gunners’ sixth successive Champions League win.
Arsenal bounced back from the defeat and maintained their perfect record in the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Club Brugge. Two goals from Noni Maduke and a goal from Gabriel Martinelli gave Belgium the result and they maintained their lead.
Madueke quite literally put Arsenal into the lead with a Champions League goal that was the favorites to win the season. Afterwards, the Gunners’ back four, who were hit with injuries, made a series of saves from David Raya to avoid the danger of an equalizer before half-time.
Just after half-time, Madueke doubled Arsenal’s lead with a much easier finish. Martinelli then stepped in for the goal-hungry Gunners, producing a stunner of his own and ending the game in Brugge manager Ivan Leko’s first game in charge. With 16-year-old Mari Salmon coming on as a substitute and Gabriel Jesus returning from injury, it was a thoroughly positive night for Arsenal.
Arsenal returned to Champions League action top of the 36-team field after losing 2-1 to Aston Villa on Saturday. Having picked up maximum points from their opening five games, their aim is to finish in the top two, giving Mikel Arteta’s side home advantage throughout the knockout phase.
Here are five stories from the Jan Breydel Stadium.
read more: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain confirms future plans after agreeing shock return to Arsenalread more: Arsenal’s 93 injured, Mikel Arteta vents frustration with another blow
1. Arteta reveals injury blowback
Arteta revealed before the game that Julian Timber was injured after fans were surprised to see him not included in the match-day squad despite the Gunners’ right-back traveling to Belgium. Supporters also noted that fellow defender Riccardo Calafioli was dropped to the bench and dropped from the starting XI.
“They (Calafiori and Timber) both had problems at the weekend. There were two really bad kicks and it was premature for Julien,” Arteta explained. “With Ricky, we’ve got to work things out and see if he can get some minutes (tonight).”
Arsenal’s back four was makeshift, with Christian Norgaard drafted in as a centre-back and Miles Lewis-Skelly joining the team.
2. Maduke recovers from fear.
As if Arsenal didn’t already have enough injury concerns, Maduke went down clutching his arm early on and required treatment. Arteta sent Bukayo Saka out to warm up and it looked like the Gunners winger might be out.
Fortunately, Madueke had no problem continuing with his job and made the most of his continued involvement. Picking up the ball just inside Brugge’s half, the former Chelsea star evaded a challenge from Joaquin Says and tipped the left-back over.
Maduke then advanced toward goal and fired a powerful left-footed strike from the best area with 25 yards to go. His shot hit the crossbar on its way to the back of the net, denying former Leeds goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel a chance.
It was a reminder of just how much depth Arsenal currently have.
3. Raya’s rescue
“He’s a player you can’t live without,” Martin Keown said after Raya’s first-half save. There were danger signs for Arsenal throughout the first half as Brugge found a way to fight back.
The Gunners were cut open again just minutes after Carlos Forbes failed to test Raya from one. This time, a beautiful flicked pass from Brugge captain Hans Vanaken found Aleksandar Stankovic, son of Inter Milan legend Dejan, on goal, and the midfielder fired a solid shot low to Raya’s right.
However, the Arsenal goalkeeper came down brilliantly to deny the Belgian giants an equaliser, and his teammates breathed a sigh of relief. It’s hard to agree with Keown’s assessment.
4. Martinelli makes history
There were concerns after the break and Arsenal needed another goal to secure the game. So how about two?
Madueke scored his second goal of the night just minutes after the restart, nodding in Martin Zvimendi’s looping cross and scoring a simple back-post header. Then it was Martinelli’s turn to score, again assisted by Zvimendi.
Cutting in from the left, the Brazilian aimed from the same distance as Madueke’s opener, curling the ball into the top right corner to make it 3-0. With this goal, Martinelli became Arsenal’s first player to score in five consecutive Champions League games. hot streak.
Can Arsenal win the Champions League? Let us know your predictions in the comments section.
5. Jesus is coming back
It’s not yet Easter, but Arsenal’s Jesus Gabriel returned from injury in the second half for the first time in 11 months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in January’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
The Brazilian replaced Victor Goqueres, but is that a sign of things to come? Mikel Merino has always done a great job when Gokeres is not playing, but Jesus is a natural No. 9 and offers something at the back.
Gökeres had a very quiet night, with some complaints heard from the away side. The £64million man will be looking to score against Wolves on Saturday.
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