[b]Arsenal[/b] delivered an emphatic statement in the Champions League as they produced a stunning performance to demolish PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in their round of 16 clash.
The Gunners were relentless from start to finish, securing their most dominant away victory in the knockout stages of the competition’s history.
The game kicked off with high intensity, and it didn’t take long for Arsenal to break the deadlock. In the 18th minute, Jurrien Timber rose highest to meet Declan Rice’s perfectly delivered cross, powering a header past the helpless PSV goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
The visitors wasted no time in doubling their lead as 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and his fellow youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly combined beautifully, with Nwaneri calmly slotting home Arsenal’s second goal.
Before PSV could regain their composure, Mikel Merino capitalized on a defensive lapse, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box to fire in Arsenal’s third, leaving the home side in complete disarray.
The Dutch giants finally got a foothold in the game just before halftime when Noa Lang converted a penalty after a reckless challenge by Thomas Partey inside the area. However, their brief moment of hope was quickly shattered.
At the start of the second half, Arsenal showed no mercy, resuming their relentless attacking display. Just minutes after the restart, Martin Ødegaard found the net with a clinical finish, and shortly after, Leandro Trossard added another to make it 5-1, completely extinguishing any chance of a PSV comeback.
Ødegaard was not done yet, as the Arsenal captain doubled his tally in the 73rd minute with a well-placed shot into the bottom corner, further compounding PSV’s misery.
The final blow came in the 85th minute when Riccardo Calafiori got his name on the scoresheet, sealing Arsenal’s biggest-ever knockout-stage away win in the competition.
PSV’s defensive frailties were ruthlessly punished by Arsenal’s attacking brilliance, as Mikel Arteta’s side showcased their lethal efficiency in front of goal.
With this dominant first-leg victory, Arsenal have one foot firmly in the quarter-finals, where they are expected to face a much sterner challenge, with either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid potentially awaiting them in the next round.