Arsenal earned a hard-fought 2-0 win over Olympiakos to make it six successive group stage Champions League victories for the primary time since 2005.
The Gunners outclassed their Greek opponents on the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night time to make it back-to-back victories within the league stage this season.
How Arsenal’s win over Olympiakos unfolded
Gabriel Martinelli‘s Twelfth-minute strike obtained the hosts on their solution to three factors, though it was Viktor Gyokeres who did the arduous work for the opener.
Martin Odegaard performed Gyokeres by way of on purpose, who held off a number of defenders earlier than taking pictures.
Olympiakos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis obtained sufficient to take the sting off Gyokeres’ effort, which ended up rolling into the put up.
However Martinelli was able to pounce on the rebound as he tucked the ball away from simply inches in entrance.
Olympiakos thought they discovered an equaliser simply after the hour mark through Chiquinho, who had the ball behind the online after David Raya saved out Ayoub El Kaabi’s header.
Sadly for the guests their purpose was chalked off as El Kaabi was discovered to be offside within the build-up.
Bukayo Saka, who got here on as a second-half substitute, made the end result protected when he squeezed his strike between Tzolakis’ legs from shut vary in stoppage time.
Sadly for the Gunners, their win might have come at a price as star defender Gabriel got here off with an harm within the seventy fifth minute.
Arsenal at the moment are certainly one of six groups within the 32-team league stage to have gained each of their European Cup matches this time period.
It follows their 2-0 victory away at Athletic Bilbao a fortnight in the past in what was a primary aggressive assembly between the 2 sides.
Mikel Arteta‘s males now sit fjfth within the desk forward of their subsequent encounter towards Atletico Madrid on residence soil on October 21.
What 20-year first have Arsenal achieved?
Their conquer Olympiacos has seen them equal the feat they managed beneath Arsene Wenger between December 2004 and November 2005.
For the primary time in 20 years, Arsenal have claimed all three factors in six consecutive group stage/league section encounters.
Arsenal’s present stretches again to final marketing campaign, the place they beat Paris Saint-Germain, Shakhtar Donetsk, Monaco and Dinamo Zagreb in entrance of their very own followers.
The Premier League title challengers are at present enduring an excellent Champions League run within the group phases.
They’ve now emerged victorious of their final eight residence Champions League group stage matches.
And they’re additionally unbeaten of their final 13 group fixtures in Europe’s premier competitors.
Potential banana pores and skin
Arsenal’s victory over Olympiakos has additionally ended their hoodoo towards the Tremendous League outfit on residence soil.
Their final Champions League group stage defeat got here by the hands of the Greek champions in September 2015.
That loss inflicted an undesirable first on Arsenal who misplaced their opening two matches within the European Cup for the primary time of their historical past.
Olympiakos inflicted extra woe on Arsenal of their subsequent two journeys to England’s capital.
In February 2020, Olympiakos induced one of many darkest days for Arsenal in European soccer.
A dramatic 2-1 Spherical of 32 second leg victory knocked the Gunners out of the Europa League on the away targets rule.
With the sport deep into extra-time, Arsenal equalised by way of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s acrobatic scissor kick within the 113th minute.
However the guests restored their lead on the night time six minutes later when Youssef El-Arabi slid in to spark wild scenes within the away finish.
And to make issues worse, Aubameyang then missed from seven yards out with the purpose at his mercy with the ultimate kick of the sport.
Olympiacos then ran out 1-0 winners the next 12 months, however luckily for Arsenal, they gained the earlier Europa League last-16 first leg tie 3-1.
