On Tuesday night, Arsenal achieved their first victory in the 2024/25 Champions League by defeating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. The atmosphere was electric, as home fans eagerly watched their team return to European competition after their earlier clash with Bayern Munich.
The lush, rain-soaked pitch set the stage for an intense and fast-paced match, with both teams enjoying impressive spells of possession. However, Arsenal’s physical superiority over the smaller PSG squad became increasingly apparent as the game wore on.
The match remained finely balanced until a pivotal moment. Leandro Trossard delivered a superb cross, allowing Kai Havertz to ghost into the box and head past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, giving Arsenal the lead.
Once considered one of Europe’s top goalkeepers after his standout performance at Euro 2020, Donnarumma’s reputation has since diminished, and his mistake led to Arsenal’s second goal. Bukayo Saka sent in a dangerous ball from the right, which bypassed several players at the near post and found the back of the net after evading Donnarumma’s reach.
Though Arsenal did not create a plethora of chances, they managed the game expertly. Their defense and midfield worked tirelessly to suppress PSG’s technically skilled team. Employing an aggressive, adaptable defensive strategy, Arsenal dominated one-on-one duels, effectively limiting PSG’s attacking potential, which lacked star power on the night.
In the second half, Arsenal introduced Mikel Merino for his debut, but it was PSG that began to build momentum around the 60-minute mark. Despite PSG’s increased pressure, Arsenal remained defensively sound, focusing on protecting their two-goal advantage.
The Gunners continued to pose a threat on the counter-attack, with Donnarumma making several key saves, and the crossbar denying them from extending their lead. PSG’s best chance came when Joao Neves struck the bar, but their efforts ultimately fizzled out.
As the match neared its end, Arsenal pushed for a third goal to seal the win, but were unable to find it. Nevertheless, they comfortably saw out the game without major threats, securing a vital victory on home turf and giving their Champions League campaign a strong start.
Player ratings highlighted standout performances from William Saliba (8.5/10) and Gabriel (8/10) in defense, while goalkeeper David Raya (6.5/10) kept a clean sheet, making key saves when needed.