Arsenal made a dream return to the UEFA Champions League with a dominant 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
Bukayo Saka gave the hosts the lead in the 8th minute with a fine strike, and Leandro Trossard doubled their lead in the 20th minute with a cool finish.
Gabriel Jesus added a third in the 38th minute with a powerful header, and Martin Ødegaard put the icing on the cake with a fourth in the 70th minute with a long-range shot.
Arsenal were in control throughout the match, and they could have scored even more goals. They were particularly impressive in the first half when they created a number of chances.
PSV had a few chances of their own in the second half, but they were unable to find the back of the net.
Overall, it was a very impressive performance from Arsenal, and they will be hoping to build on this momentum when they face Bayern Munich in their next Champions League match.
Match summary
Venue:
Emirates Stadium, London
Date: September 20, 2023
Time: 8:00 PM BST
Lineups:
Arsenal:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Ødegaard, Martinelli; Jesus
PSV Eindhoven:
Van Ginkel; Mwene, Teze, Ramalho, Max; Til, Sangaré, Veerman; Madueke, Gakpo, Saîbi
Match report:
Arsenal made a flying start to the match and took the lead in the 8th minute through Bukayo Saka. The Englishman cut inside from the right and fired a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 20th minute through Leandro Trossard. The Belgian midfielder received the ball from Gabriel Martinelli and finished with a cool finish.
Arsenal continued to press and added a third in the 38th minute through Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian striker headed home from a corner kick.
Arsenal were in complete control in the first half, and they could have scored even more goals. Bukayo Saka hit the post in the 25th minute, and Gabriel Martinelli had a goal ruled out for offside in the 40th minute.
PSV had a few chances of their own in the second half, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Cody Gakpo had a shot saved by Aaron Ramsdale in the 50th minute, and Noni Madueke had a shot go wide in the 60th minute.
Arsenal added a fourth goal in the 70th minute through Martin Ødegaard. The Norwegian midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the box and fired a long-range shot into the top corner of the net.
Arsenal cruised to victory in the end, and they will be very happy with their performance. They were dominant throughout the match, and they could have scored even more goals.
