Arsenal delivered a stunning performance with a 7-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday night.

The Gunners dominated the match from start to finish, scoring three goals in the first half and adding four more after the break to put themselves in a commanding position.

The match kicked off with Arsenal taking control early, as Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 18th minute.

Teenager Ethan Nwaneri quickly followed with a second, and Mikel Merino added a third in the 31st minute. PSV managed to pull one back through a penalty from Noa Lang, leaving the score 3-1 at halftime.

The second half saw Arsenal continue their dominance, with captain Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard scoring in the opening minutes after the break.

Odegaard netted his second goal in the 73rd minute, before substitute Riccardo Calafiori sealed the rout with a goal five minutes from time.

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Arsenal’s 7-1 win marks their biggest away victory in European competition and puts them in a virtually unassailable position to progress to the quarter-finals, where they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid.

The game also saw PSV come close to taking an early lead in the 16th minute, but a close-range shot from Ismael Saibari hit the crossbar. Arsenal responded swiftly, with Timber’s header from a Declan Rice cross starting the scoring spree.

PSV’s defense struggled throughout, with the Gunners capitalizing on mistakes and moments of vulnerability. PSV’s hopes of a comeback were dashed early in the second half, with Arsenal’s goals coming in quick succession, including a gift from goalkeeper Walter Benitez to Odegaard and Trossard’s deft finish over the goalkeeper.

The result marked the first time PSV had conceded seven goals at home and the first time any Dutch club had allowed seven in a European match. PSV defender Olivier Boscagli admitted, “They were simply better than us in everything. We let them play, and that’s what they wanted. We were constantly running after them.”

Despite recent struggles in the Premier League, Arsenal’s midfield performance, particularly by Rice, showcased their potential.

“We feel we’ve been playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five, sometimes two, sometimes we don’t score, but tonight we did well,” Rice said after the match.

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