Arsenal v Dinamo Zagreb LIVE: UEFA Champions League updates as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners strengthen top-eight grip
Champions League / League Phase
Emirates Stadium / 22.01.2025
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- D. Rice(2')
- K. Havertz(66')
- M. Ødegaard(90+1')
Live
Live Updates
Updated 22/01/2025 at 22:02 GMT
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- Highlights
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DOMINANT ARSENAL CRUISE TO 3-0 WIN
Arsenal are effectively through to the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League after a convincing 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium.
Declan Rice opened the scoring in just the second minute for The Gunners, who rarely looked in difficulty on the night, and they extended their lead in the second half through Kai Havertz. Martin Odegaard added a third in stoppage time.
Arsenal looked in complete control of the match for long periods, dominating possession and creating a number of decent chances, with Gabriel Martinelli a stand-out performer on the left wing.
The result puts The Gunners third in the league table and all but assured of a top-eight finish that would see them skip the playoff fixtures and move straight into the tournament’s knockout rounds.
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Highlights: Arsenal cruise past Zagreb to close in on top-eight finish
Video credit: TNT Sports
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KEOWN AND CARNEY PRAISE MARTINELLI
The TNT Sports pundits are full of praise for winger Martinelli, who was electric at times this evening, with Martin Keown saying:
"Tonight was interesting because Martinelli I thought was very good.
"It almost felt like a training-ground game," Keown added. "Yes, second half it went a bit flat, but three substitutions addressed that quickly and used the squad members."
And Karen Carney, discussing the first goal, said:
"Martin’s right, Martinelli was key. Everything in this goal was perfect, the cross, the set-back and the finish."
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'What a start!' - Rice thumps home Arsenal opener inside two minutes
Video credit: TNT Sports
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HOW TO WATCH EUROPEAN FOOTBALL ON TNT SPORTS?
You can watch all of tonight's UEFA Champions League matches live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
TNT Sports offers more than 185 UEFA Champions League matches and every UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League fixture.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
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DECLAN RICE SPEAKS TO TNT SPORTS
Arsenal got off to a flier thanks to Declan Rice’s goal in just the second minute, and the goalscorer has been speaking to TNT Sports about how he’s trying to add some goalscoring qualities to his game.
"I’m getting in the right positions, I’m annoyed that I didn’t get the second. I think the manager has been on us really hard about midfielders arriving, because so many goals can come from there. Martin obviously did right at the end, I did for mine."
Arsenal will be looking to turn this impressive era into significant achievement, and Rice says that being in the mix at this stage of the season is the most important thing.
"What I learnt from last year is that you need to be there or thereabouts at this point of the season and we are. Now we go into Wolves. It’s been a tough month but we’re keeping positive and go again."
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ARSENAL ALL-BUT GUARANTEED A TOP-EIGHT SPOT
Arsenal have strengthened their grip on a top-eight finish in the Champions League phase with this win, and their goal difference means that the result of their final match against Girona shouldn’t matter – they are now almost certain to avoid the play-off stage. Skipping that extra set of matchdays was a key target for Arsenal and they will be delighted to have wrapped that up. For Dinamo, their chances of making it into the play-off round are dwindling, but have not quite disappeared completely, and they could snatch a spot with a win over AC Milan in their final league game.
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FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 3-0 DINAMO ZAGREB
The whistle goes and Arsenal celebrate an important win – a result that puts them third in the table and on the brink of wrapping up qualification automatically for the knockouts.
90'
LATE CHANGE FOR ARSENAL
The Gunners make one final substitution and it’s a special one, with Nathan Butler-Oyedeji coming on for his debut.
90'
GOAL! ARSENAL 3-0 DINAMO ZAGREB (MARTIN ODEGAARD)
That’s the cherry on top for Arsenal. Trossard makes a good run out into the left channel, waits for the support in the middle and then steers a cross into the middle, aided by a deflection, that the onrushing Odegaard knocks home. 3-0!
90'
ADDED TIME
There will be just three minutes added on at the end of the game.
87'
GOOD AGAIN FROM NWANERI
Arsenal’s teenage sensation Nwaneri has been really good since coming on and bends in another tempting cross. His performance won’t be doing anything to dampen the excitement amongst the fanbase about his potential – he looks like a serious talent.
84'
CROSSED WIRES IN THE FINAL THIRD
Rice looks to slip a reverse pass in to Martinelli, but the wide man hadn’t picked up on the signals and was making a different run.
82'
ARSENAL IN COMPLETE CONTROL
The Gunners have slipped into their controlling mode now, with plenty of security at the back and a steady tempo to ensure that they ease through to full-time from here. There appears to be very little threat of a Zagreb comeback.
79'
GOOD AGAIN FROM MARTINELLI
The Arsenal winger has been excellent this evening, and he bends in another excellent cross that the visitors scramble behind for a corner.
76'
RICE CLOSE TO ANOTHER
A beautiful deep cross from Nwaneri deserves a better finish than Rice’s header which floats straight into the keeper’s hands. Rice grimaces – he knows he should have done better with that.
75'
MORE SUBS
Tierney is also on for Zinchenko for Arsenal, while the visitors have made a double sub – Hoxha and Pjaca coming on.
73'
TROSSARD’S TON
The home fans stand to applaud the introduction of Trossard off the bench, which means the Belgian has now made 100 appearances for Arsenal.
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'Win every game' has to be Arsenal’s 'mindset', says Trossard
Video credit: TNT Sports
71'
HAVERTZ STAYS DOWN
The goalscorer goes down in a challenge and stays down clutching his foot. The referee doesn’t stop the game, and nor should he, but it does cause slight confusion when Nwaneri dribbles into him.
68'
GUNNERS ARE CRUISING
That second goal has made the game feel far more comfortable and the crowd have come to life now too, serenading their team as the knockout stages beckon. Arsenal have settled back into a conservative shape to see the game through safely, but will still no doubt cause issues on the counter.
65'
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 DINAMO ZAGREB (KAI HAVERTZ)
A phenomenal deep cross from Martinelli is absolutely begging to be finished and Havertz does just that, heading home from close range to put Arsenal two to the good. That’s a morale-boosting goal for Havertz, but it’s the cross that made it. What a delivery! 2-0.
62'
CAN ARSENAL MAKE THIS SAFE
Arsenal would close in on automatic qualification for the knock-out stages with a win tonight, but they will want a second goal.