Arsenal secured a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.
Both teams searched for the opening goal in the first half, with both goalkeepers called into action. Despite several chances, neither side found the breakthrough, and the match remained 0-0 going into the break.
But three second-half goals – including a brilliant brace from Declan Rice and a strike from Mikel Merino – gave the Gunners a commanding 3-0 lead to take to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu for next week’s second leg.
As it happened
The away side registered the first chance of the night through Kylian Mbappé, who tried his luck from distance, but David Raya was equal to it, making a comfortable save to deny the Real Madrid forward.
Roared on by the home fans, the Gunners pushed forward, creating a flurry of chances as they looked to break through the Real Madrid defence. In the 12th minute, Mikel Arteta’s side had their first big opportunity when Gabriel Martinelli drove to the byline and cut the ball back to Mikel Merino, who teed up Thomas Partey on the edge of the box. However, his driven effort was well saved by Thibaut Courtois.
In an end-to-end game, los Blancos responded quickly as they searched for the opener. Eduardo Camavinga dispossessed both Merino and Martin Ødegaard in midfield before releasing Antonio Rüdiger on the counter. The defender surged forward and played in Rodrygo, who combined neatly with Mbappé to release Vinícius Júnior on the left. The Brazilian cut inside and curled a strike just wide of Raya’s left-hand post.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side should have taken the lead moments later as they launched a quick counter-attack. Kylian Mbappé found himself with a brilliant chance to put Real Madrid ahead, but the forward couldn’t quite guide his effort past Raya, who made a quick reaction save to keep the score level. Mbappé, who is on 33 goals this season, continues his pursuit of Ivan Zamorano’s record of 37 goals in a debut season for los Blancos.
Arsenal looked more dangerous after the away side’s spell of pressure, with Bukayo Saka causing all sorts of problems down the right. However, no one could get on the end of his crosses into the box.
Moments later, the home side should have taken the lead just before half time. Declan Rice latched onto a Jurrien Timber cross into the box, but Courtois parried it into the path of Martinelli, who was unable to get it past the Belgian goalkeeper, keeping the score level going into the break.
Neither team took control at the start of the second half, with both sides having chances. However, in the 57th minute, Arsenal opened the scoring. Bukayo Saka was fouled on the edge of the box, and Declan Rice stepped up to take the free kick, rocketing his effort past Courtois to give the North London side a crucial lead in the tie.
The Gunners doubled their lead 12 minutes later with another stunning free kick from Declan Rice. His effort was even better than the first, curling a powerful shot into the top-right corner, leaving Courtois with no chance and extending Arsenal’s advantage.
Mikel Arteta’s side were in dreamland when Mikel Merino extended the Gunners‘ lead in the 75th minute. The midfielder was found by Myles Lewis-Skelly on the edge of the box and unleashed a brilliant strike into the bottom-right corner, giving Courtois no chance of saving it.
Arsenal held on until the final moments, and in the dying stages, Eduardo Camavinga received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away in frustration. The Gunners secured a dominant 3-0 victory over the 15-time champions, ahead of next week’s return fixture in Madrid.
The lineups
ARS: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino
RMA: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Modric, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
