Noni Madueke stole the spotlight as Arsenal maintained their flawless start in the Champions League with a commanding 3-0 victory over Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday.
The England winger opened the scoring with a thunderous strike from 25 yards midway through the first half, leaving goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel helpless.
Just minutes into the second half, Madueke rose to nod home a precise cross from Martin Zubimendi, doubling Arsenal’s advantage.
Gabriel Martinelli then wrapped up the win with a stunning curling effort into the top corner, sealing a dominant performance for the Gunners.
Earlier in the game, Arsenal had tested Van den Heuvel and the woodwork, with Piero Hincapie striking the post and Martin Ødegaard’s effort being expertly saved.
Despite the early pressure, Madueke’s brilliance set the tone for the rest of the match.
There was also a touching moment for Gabriel Jesus, returning from a 332-day injury layoff, as his first touch as a substitute rattled the crossbar, while young Ethan Nwaneri tested the Brugge goalkeeper twice in stoppage time.
After suffering a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa in their last Premier League outing, Arsenal bounced back with authority, thanks largely to Madueke’s inspired display.
The winger finished with four shots, three on target, from an xG of 1.01, marking his first consecutive European scoring streak.
Martinelli continued his fine form in the Champions League, scoring in all five of his appearances this season, the first Arsenal player to do so in consecutive European matches.
With this win, Arsenal have claimed six straight victories to start a single Champions League campaign for the first time, joining Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool, and Manchester City as the only English sides to achieve the feat.
