The Champions League is back after a long international break. Exciting matches were played on Matchday 3. The highlight of the week was Arsenal’s match against La Liga de Atlético de Madrid. These two teams have been impressive this season, as Atlético beat the 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid in a La Liga match 5-2. Arsenal has been a titan in the Premier League with its set-piece goals, sitting at the top of the league table and only conceding three goals as of Oct. 27.
Arsenal hosted Atlético at the Emirates Stadium on Oct. 21, giving the team home-field advantage for this game. This is the first time these two teams have faced each other in a European match since 2018, when they battled it out in the UEFA Europa League. In that match, Atlético knocked out Arsenal on a 2-1 aggregate, advancing to the Europa League final. Now, times have changed: Both teams are on the big stage, fighting for the title of the best club in Europe.
The Gunners started the match strongly, seeking to score in the first 20 minutes, but Atlético’s strong defense made it difficult for the Gunners to get it into the net. In the 24th minute, Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya played it riskily as he tried to let the ball out of play, but Atlético forward Julian Alvarez took the ball away and tried to shoot at an open net, but missed the opportunity to make 0-1. The game continued scoreless at the second half. Unfortunately, Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli was caught offside during a run when he scored the goal in the 35th minute. The game went on until the 55th minute, when Arsenal received a free-kick. Declan Rice took the free-kick, launching it into the Atlético box, allowing Gabriel to head the ball into the net, scoring a goal. Arsenal 1-0, Set-piece F.C. has done it again! On a quick restart in the 63-minute mark, Myles Lewis-Skelly ran with the ball, saw Martinelli, shot and scored! Arsenal is up 2-0.
Not even five minutes after the goal, Martinelli spotted and passed the ball to Viktor Gyokeres, who scored. Gyokeres’ goal came after a long goal drought of nine games. He showed up when it was important. Arsenal 3-0. In the 69th minute, Arsenal was awarded a corner kick. Rice sent it off to the middle of Gabriel’s head, to Gyokeres, and Gyokeres scored. Gyokeres thrusted the ball into the net and gave Arsenal the lead 4-0. Atletico tried their best to score against the Gunners with the remaining time they had; unfortunately, the game ended 4-0, leaving the gunners with a victory and 3 points in the Champions League. It was sweet revenge for Arsenal and a memorable moment for those who scored in tonight’s match. Most importantly, however, was the man of the match: Gyokeres.
