Arsenal delivered a dominant performance at the Emirates Stadium, comfortably dispatching Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 to move within touching distance of the Champions League last 16. The victory leaves Mikel Arteta’s side requiring only to avoid a heavy defeat in their final group match against Girona to secure a top-eight finish and bypass the play-off round.
The Gunners got off to a flying start, opening the scoring within two minutes. Gabriel Martinelli’s pinpoint cross found Kai Havertz, who cushioned the ball perfectly into the path of Declan Rice. The England international made no mistake, drilling a powerful shot past Zagreb goalkeeper Ivan Nevistić to give Arsenal an early advantage.
Havertz was at the heart of the action again, heading home Martinelli’s curling delivery in the 66th minute to mark Arsenal’s 500th goal under Arteta’s management. Captain Martin Ødegaard capped off the night with a scrappy third late on, ensuring a commanding scoreline for the hosts.
Zagreb offered little in attack, with captain Arijan Ademi’s wayward long-range effort representing one of their rare ventures into Arsenal’s half. Meanwhile, the Gunners continued to threaten. Rice had a shot blocked following a clever pass from Ødegaard, and centre-back Gabriel narrowly missed the target with a header from close range.
Arteta, speaking before the match, had called on his team to “capitalise” on their strong group-stage form, and his players responded emphatically. Rice’s early strike was Arsenal’s fastest Champions League goal since Yaya Sanogo’s quick-fire effort against Borussia Dortmund in 2014.
Defensively, Arsenal remained resolute. They have now conceded only two goals in the group stage—only Inter Milan have a better defensive record in the competition so far.
Arteta was also buoyed by the return of Riccardo Calafiori and youngster Ethan Nwaneri, both of whom were fit enough to make the bench. Myles Lewis-Skelly missed out due to a minor knock, but the Arsenal boss will be hopeful of his return to full fitness soon.
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As Arsenal prepare for the knockout phase, Arteta will be keen to carry forward the team’s impressive home form. The Gunners have lost just one of their last 26 home group-stage games, a statistic that bodes well for their European aspirations this season.