Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 4-0 in an impressive match on October 21 at the Emirates Stadium. The team really stepped up in the second half, scoring all their goals during that time, which helped them celebrate their third win in a row in the Champions League.
What started as a closely matched game turned into a surprising victory for Arsenal. They scored multiple goals, thanks to Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and two from Viktor Gyokeres, leaving the opposing team, led by Diego Simeone, completely stunned.
Just after Julian Alvarez nearly scored by hitting the crossbar, Arsenal’s defender Gabriel changed the game by scoring with a header from a free kick taken by Declan Rice in the 57th minute.
Martinelli and Gyokeres Seal the Victory
Martinelli scored a goal after a beautiful team play just seven minutes later. Gyokeres added to the excitement by scoring his first goal of the night, benefiting from a lucky bounce. Arsenal was dominating the game, and this goal also ended a long stretch of nine games without a goal for Gyokeres, both for his club and his country.
Gyokeres scored his second goal after Atletico struggled to defend a corner kick once again.
Arsenal achieved a great victory that marked their ninth game in a row without losing in all competitions. This win also brings their total to nine points in the group stage, thanks to three consecutive wins where they didn’t allow any goals. They are on track to qualify for the next round of the tournament.
Atletico, with three points, will need to pick themselves up after their impressive streak of six games without a loss in all competitions came to an abrupt end.
Arteta and Simeone’s Post-Match Reactions
“It was a challenging game. After we scored, the other team became a bit more open, which made it easier for us to create chances. I’m really pleased with the outcome,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
“In the advanced stages of the Champions League, it is crucial to elevate performance across all tactical dimensions, and we certainly achieved that in every aspect of our gameplay.”
Simeone, who faced a loss in Liverpool last September, mentioned that his team made mistakes that led to their defeat.
“It’s not just about bad luck; it’s about making mistakes,” the Argentine player said to reporters. “They took advantage of our errors, and every big opportunity they had ended up being a goal.”
Match Analysis: How the Game Unfolded
Feeling confident after reaching the top of the Premier League, Arsenal started the match with great energy. They nearly scored early on when a shot from Eberechi Eze hit a defender and bounced off the crossbar. Declan Rice, who was there to follow up, wasn’t able to keep the rebound down and sent it over the goal.
Myles Lewis-Skelly missed a scoring opportunity by sending the ball off target, while Bukayo Saka had his shot stopped by Atletico’s goalkeeper, Jan Oblak.
The visitors endured the difficult weather, and they nearly scored when Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, made a mistake by holding onto the ball too long outside of his area. Alvarez found himself in a great position to score but unfortunately shot wide of the goal from a tricky angle.
After halftime, Alvarez took a fantastic shot that hit the crossbar for Arsenal, and the game was still uncertain at that point. However, Atletico soon fell apart after that moment.
Key Moments: Set-Piece Prowess and Clinical Finishing
Arsenal’s set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, would have been really pleased with the goal that started the scoring.
The danger posed by the Rice and Gabriel duo is well known, but Atletico’s defense appeared caught off guard. Rice took a free kick that curved beautifully, and Gabriel managed to slip away from the defenders to head the ball past Oblak, the goalkeeper.
With Atletico caught off guard, Arsenal seized the opportunity. Lewis-Skelly made a great pass to Martinelli, who calmly scored by sliding the ball past the goalkeeper, Oblak. This goal marked Martinelli’s achievement of scoring in every Champions League match this season.
Gyokeres also joined in by scoring two goals that may not have been the most beautiful, but they were important for him, especially after not scoring for a while since his expensive transfer from Sporting.
“We really appreciate everything he does for the team, and today he had the biggest smile on his face,” Arteta shared.
“Hopefully, this marks the beginning of something wonderful.”
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