By Nurudeen Obalola
Arsenal produced a memorable UEFA Champions League night at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, hammering holders Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Also on Tuesday night, Inter Milan struck late to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in Germany.
Declan Rice was the star of the show in North London with two stunning free-kicks, while emergency striker Mikel Merino added a fine third goal to shock the record 15-time winners.
After a first half of few chances, the Emirates Stadium was lit up by Rice’s magic.
The England midfielder broke the deadlock 13 minutes into the second period with a magnificent free-kick from about 25 yards out, curling his effort around the Real Madrid wall and past the otherwise brilliant Thibaut Courtois.
Rice was at it again 12 minutes later, this time with an even better strike which arrowed into the top right corner, giving Courtois absolutely no chance.
Rice had not scored from a direct free-kick in any of his 338 previous matches for West Ham and Arsenal before Tuesday’s brace.
He became just the second Arsenal player to score multiple free-kicks in the UEFA Champions League after Thierry Henry.
Rice is also the first Arsenal player to score a direct free-kick in the knockout rounds of the competition and the first player in the competition’s history to score two direct free kick goals in a knockout stage match, according to Squawka.
Courtois kept Real Madrid in the game with some excellent stops, but could do nothing about Rice’s free-kicks and the third goal by Merino.
The Spain midfielder, who has had to play as centre forward due to injuries to the strikers, turned home a low cross from the impressive teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly 15 minutes from time.
The second leg is scheduled for Madrid on Wednesday next week, with Arsenal on course for their first Champions League semi-final since 2009.
In Munich, Bayern thought they had earned a 1-1 draw after Thomas Muller struck in the 85th minute to cancel out Lautaro Martinez’s 38th minute opener.
But Davide Frattesi finished off a counterattacking move two minutes from time to earn the Italian champions a 2-1 away victory ahead of next week’s return leg in Milan.
RESULTS
Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid
Bayern Munich 1-2 Inter Milan
