Arsenal fight back to beat Girona
Girona 1 - 2 Arsenal
Arsenal staged a comeback, scoring twice in four minutes to overturn a deficit and secure their place in the Champions League knockout stages with a 2-1 victory over Girona.
Heading into the match, the Gunners were already on the verge of qualification, but much of the pre-game discussion centred around their reported interest in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
Girona threatened an upset when they took the lead in the 28th minute. Neto, making his Arsenal debut in goal due to David Raya’s injury, rushed out of his box, allowing Arnaut Danjuma to curl the ball into an empty net.
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Arsenal responded swiftly, levelling 10 minutes later through a Jorginho penalty after Thomas Partey was brought down in the area by Arnau Martinez. Just before half-time, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri produced a moment of brilliance, cutting in from the right and curling a superb strike into the bottom corner to put the Gunners ahead.
Girona thought they had equalised in the second half when Cristhian Stuani tapped in from close range, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Arsenal had a chance to seal the win in stoppage time, but Raheem Sterling’s penalty was saved by Pau Lopez.
Could Arsenal's in-depth strength be key for them?
"I don’t think it’s a game that requires a great deal of analysis, because Arsenal's players were there to do a job ahead of a big game on Sunday, and we did just that. The team reflected the schedule to some extent, with starts for Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Mikel Merino and Raheem Sterling. Worryingly for some fans of Arteta's side, there was no place in the squad for David Raya, who Mikel Arteta declared not fit beforehand, and wouldn’t expand on that afterwards.
"After the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United and with them trailing against Newcastle in the EFL Cup, this competition probably represents their best chance of winning a trophy during the 2024/2025 campaign. . Whether they have the quality to see off Europe's finest during the business end of the competition is a very different question now. They will need their squad players to play a part though."
Best Arsenal fan reaction
After the match, Arsenal fans shared their thoughts, with many pleased by the team’s resilience. They were clearly confident about progressing in this season's Champions League.
DJ said: "Arsenal put in a solid performance, showing resilience and character to secure the win. It wasn’t perfect, and there were nervy moments—especially with Sterling missing the late penalty—but the team held on. This result highlights the squad’s depth and determination, which will be crucial heading into the knockout stages."
Stewart added: "I'm happy with that. Another tough away game overcome. We’re comfortably in the top eight, so well done, lads."
