Arsenal And Inter Take A Big Advantage Into Second Leg
Arsenal enjoyed a historic night in Europe, beating Real Madrid 3-0 at home in the UEFA Champions League. The Gunners not only won but also completely dominated the defending champions. Mikel Arteta delivered a tactical masterclass, putting his side in a commanding position ahead of the second leg. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich hosted Inter Milan in the other quarter-final. The German giants suffered a 2-1 defeat to Simone Inzaghi’s well-drilled Inter side.
Arsenal: Declan Rice proves his worth
Arsenal were up against the Los Blancos in the first leg of their quarter-final clash. Real Madrid were the hot favourites heading into the tie. However, Arsenal had some other plans, and they paid off. Kylian Mbappe took the first shot of the game. From that moment onwards, Arsenal never looked back. They dominated the first half by creating clear-cut chances. Thibaut Courtois was forced to make a double save.
Read Also: Kevin De Bruyne Bows Out, The Derby Ends In Stalemate
Declan Rice could have put his side in front, but the Belgian was up to the mark. Kylian Mbappe has two chances, and he made David Raya work. Mikel Arteta’s team was dominating on both ends. Their hard work paid off around the 58th minute mark. Declan Rice curled a free kick around the wall and found the back of the net. This was just a buildup for more to come.
Rice Strikes Twice as Arsenal Run Riot at Emirates
Arsenal were once again awarded a free kick in a similar area around the 70th-minute mark. Declan Rice found the top corner this time. Arsenal were all over Real Madrid. They added one more goal five minutes later. Former Real Sociedad midfielder, Mikel Merino continued his good form in front of the goal. He scored with his head. Arsenal scored three goals in 17 minutes.
Real Madrid ended the match with 10 men. Eduardo Camavinga, who was already suspended for the second leg following a yellow card, received his second of the night for kicking away the ball. Ancelotti’s men will need to give their best at the Bernabeu next week or their title defence will be over.
Tactical masterclass puts Inter in commanding position
Inter Milan has been at the top of their game in recent years. The Italian club has enjoyed decent success under Simone Inzaghi. The Nerazzurri managed to pick up a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich away from home.
Bayern Munich press high and are a difficult team to play at home. Inter are also sturdy in their defence and not an easy team to score against. Bayern created more chances in the first half. Harry Kane struck the post in the 26th minute. They managed to hit four shots on target. Inter, on the other hand, dealt with this early pressure.
Inter players found a breakdown on the left, and that led to a goal. A cross was met by Thuram, who coolly laid the ball in Lautaro’s path. The Argentine found the back of the net with a clever finish. Inter were happy with a goal lead. However, Thomas Muller was not going down easily in his final season at Bayern. He equalised in the 85th minute. Inter found another break after two minutes. This time, Davide Frattesi found the back of the net. Inter takes a one-goal lead into the second leg.
