Arsenal continued their flawless UEFA Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Kairat Almaty at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, making it eight wins from eight and marking Mikel Arteta’s 200th win as manager.
The Gunners flew out of the blocks and needed just two minutes to take the lead. Kai Havertz, making his first start of the season, showed instant sharpness by threading a perfectly weighted pass through to Viktor Gyokeres, who calmly finished to give the hosts an early advantage.
Kairat, on the other hand, responded almost immediately.
Following a lengthy VAR review, Riccardo Calafiori was penalised for a pull inside the box, allowing Jorginho to step up and convert the resulting penalty in the sixth minute to restore parity for the visitors.
The frantic opening continued as Arsenal regained the lead eight minutes later. Ben White’s precise ball over the top picked out Havertz, who cut inside and curled a composed finish beyond the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
READ ALSO:
Arsenal maintained control for long spells, with Gyokeres going close on a couple of occasions and Noni Madueke testing the Kairat defence with his direct running.
The third goal eventually arrived in the 35th minute following a slick passing move. Havertz was again involved, squaring the ball across goal after Gyokeres’ touch, allowing Gabriel Martinelli to apply the finish. After another VAR check, the goal stood, taking Martinelli’s tally to six in the competition.
The hosts pushed for a fourth after the break, with Martin Ødegaard, introduced at half-time, twice going close with headers, while Madueke and Martinelli continued to threaten from wide areas. Despite their dominance, Arsenal were unable to fully put the game beyond reach.
Arteta also used the occasion to hand opportunities to academy talents, with Brando Bailey-Joseph and Ife Ibrahim both making their senior debuts to loud applause from the home crowd.
Kairat ensured a tense finish when substitute Ricardinho headed home in stoppage time to reduce the deficit, but Arsenal held firm in the closing moments to secure the win.
The result confirms Arsenal as the first team to win all eight matches in the Champions League league phase this season, underlining their consistency and momentum as they head into the knockout stages.
