Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal: Marvellous Madueke keeps Arteta's men perfect

Stunning strikes from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli helped Arsenal beat Club Brugge 3-0 and maintain their perfect record in the Champions League.

Match Report

Noni Madueke scored twice as Arsenal maintained their perfect record in the Champions League with a comfortable 3-0 win at Club Brugge on Wednesday.

The electric winger scored a sensational opener midway through the first half at Jan Breydel Stadium and headed in an easy second just after the break.

Gabriel Martinelli then got in on the act with a stupendous goal of his own as Arsenal closed on direct entry to the last 16 by making it six wins from six in the league phase.

Dani van den Heuvel had already parried Martin Odegaard's stinging drive and Piero Hincapie struck the base of the right-post by the time Madueke opened the scoring in stunning fashion.

The England winger drove forward and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top-right corner from 25 yards, before Ben White's thumping header and another curling effort from Madueke brought the best out of Van den Heuvel.

It took just two second-half minutes for Martin Zubimendi's deep left-wing cross to be nodded home by Madueke, and Martinelli then bent a sublime bending effort into the top-right corner to essentially end the game as a contest.

There was almost a heart-warming moment for Gabriel Jesus, back after 332 days out with injury, who smacked one against the crossbar after entering the fray as a substitute, while Ethan Nwaneri drew two stops from Van den Heuvel in injury time.

Data Debrief: Madueke shines, while Martinelli breaks new ground

Arsenal saw their lead at the top of the Premier League trimmed to two points after losing 2-1 at Aston Villa last time out but, led by Madueke, returned to winning ways here.

The winger finished with a team-high four shots, three of which were on target, from an xG of 1.01.

All three of Madueke's Arsenal goals have now come in the Champions League, while he has scored in successive European games for the first time.

Martinelli, meanwhile, has scored in all five of his Champions League outings this term – becoming the first Gunners player to score in five consecutive outings in Europe's premier competition. 

Victory here also means Arsenal have won six straight games to start a single edition of the European Cup/Champions League for the first time, becoming just the fifth English team to do so (after Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester City).

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Mignolet saves from Odegaard

11' Noni Madueke is down and receiving some attention for what looks an arm injury

21' Hincapié hits the woodwork

22' Gyökeres puts his header wide following a decent cross from Martinelli

25' GOAL! Madueke's shot is simply unstoppable! Club Brugge 0-1 Arsenal

29' Hincarpie with a firm header following an Arsenal corner but the keeper saves

35' Forbs has a shot but easy save for Raya

39' Stanković with a curling shot but it is wide

42' Raya saves from Tzolis

44' Stanković sees his latest shot saved by David Raya

47' Madueke heads home from close range!! Club Brugge 0-2 Arsenal

47' Match Event for Club Brugge vs Arsenal

56' Martinelli makes it three for Arsenal! Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal

63' Gabi Jesus back on the pitch

68' Yellow Card! Ben White booked

72' Match Event for Club Brugge vs Arsenal

79' Jesus hits the bar!

84' 16 year old Salmon gets some UCL minutes

Line-ups

Club Brugge XI: Vanaken, Mechele, Christos Tzolis, Hugo Siquet, Raphael Onyedika, Dani van den Heuvel, Carlos Forbs, Aleksandar Stanković, Nicolò Tresoldi, Joel Ordóñez, Joaquin Seys

Subs: Gustaf Nilsson, Hugo Vetlesen, Cisse Sandra, Zaid Romero, Jorne Spileers, Bjorn Meijer, Kyriani Sabbe, Kaye Furo, Axl De Corte, Mamadou Diakhon, Shandre Campbell

Arsenal XI: Christian Nørgaard, David Raya, Ødegaard, Merino, Viktor Gyökeres, Ben White, Martín Zubimendi, Martinelli, Madueke, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly

Subs: Kepa, Jesus, Eberechi Eze, Saka, Calafiori, Tommy Setford, Nwaneri, Louie Copley, Josh Nichols, Marli Salmon