Winger’s stunning solo strike ignites comfortable 3-0 win at Brugge as Martinelli carves out personal piece of history
Arsenal’s flawless Champions League march continued with a commanding 3-0 victory away at Club Brugge on Wednesday, a win lit up by a moment of pure inspiration from Noni Madueke and a historic finish from Gabriel Martinelli.
Despite manager Mikel Arteta rotating his side after a weekend Premier League defeat, the Gunners never looked back after Madueke’s spectacular 25th-minute opener. The English winger collected the ball near midfield, drove past two despairing challenges, and unleashed a thunderous strike that crashed in off the crossbar, leaving the Jan Breydel Stadium in stunned silence.
“It’s one of those that just comes off perfectly,” Madueke said of his early goal-of-the-season contender. “You just hit it and hope. Tonight, it flew.”
Brugge, under new coach Ivan Leko after a swift managerial change, showed flashes of fight through the lively Carlos Forbs but lacked a cutting edge. Arsenal punished that wastefulness shortly after the restart when Madueke nodded home his second of the night, meeting Martin Zubimendi’s pinpoint cross to all but seal the points.
The crowning moment arrived just before the hour mark. Gabriel Martinelli, seizing on a loose ball, danced past a defender and curled a beautiful finish into the far corner. In doing so, the Brazilian became the first Arsenal player ever to score in five consecutive Champions League matches.
“It’s a special feeling to make a bit of history for this club,” Martinelli remarked. “But the most important thing is the team’s performance and that we keep winning.”
The result leaves Arsenal perched perfectly atop the league phase standings with six wins from six. A single point from their final two matches will now guarantee a top-eight finish and direct passage to the knockout rounds. For Brugge, languishing in 30th, the fight is now simply to secure a place in the playoff round.
Attention now turns swiftly back to domestic duties, with Premier League leaders Arsenal hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. On this evidence, their momentum on all fronts remains firmly intact.
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