Arsenal Stars Shine in Gritty 2-0 Triumph Over Olympiacos: Player Ratings Revealed
Arsenal secured their second Champions League victory of the campaign on Wednesday evening, defeating Olympiacos 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
The North London side kicked off their European journey with a triumph over Athletic Club and collected another three points through strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. While the Greek visitors provided occasional moments of concern, Arsenal deserved their win in what marked their third consecutive victory across all competitions.
Arsenal entered the match buoyed by their dramatic weekend comeback against Newcastle United and nearly took the lead within the opening two minutes. Martinelli had a golden chance to extend his scoring streak but surprisingly sent his unmarked header wide from merely eight yards.
The Brazilian quickly redeemed himself, though, scoring his third goal in five matches. Martinelli was perfectly positioned for a simple finish to break the deadlock and emphasize Arsenal's clear dominance, responding fastest after Viktor Gyökeres's effort rebounded off the woodwork following the Swedish forward's physical battle with both Olympiacos center-backs.
Arsenal maintained complete control in the opening period but needed a brilliant stop from David Raya to preserve their advantage. Ex-Wolves attacker Daniel Podence aimed for the top corner from Chiquinho's delivery, but his attempt was expertly denied by the alert Spanish shot-stopper.
The Gunners remained in command after their momentary scare and should have established a more comfortable cushion before halftime, with Olympiacos still harboring slim hopes of another positive outcome at the Emirates following three straight victories at the north London ground in recent years.
The Greek side displayed flashes of their counter-attacking threat after the interval and continued limiting clear opportunities for their opponents. Ayoub El Kaabi's disallowed strike just past the hour served as a crucial wake-up call for Arsenal, who recognized the need for a calming second goal to seal the victory.
Mikel Arteta, having rotated six players from the Newcastle triumph, turned to his key substitutes in the final stages, introducing Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze from the sidelines. The pair nearly combined to extend Arsenal's lead with eight minutes remaining, but Ødegaard's header from Saka's delivery was brilliantly kept out by Konstantinos Tzolakis.
Despite some anxious moments as Olympiacos gained momentum, Arsenal finally secured the result in added time. Another incisive through ball from Ødegaard found Saka in the box, whose fierce shot slipped through the keeper's grasp to confirm another Champions League success for the Gunners.
Arsenal player ratings below.
Arsenal Player Ratings (4-3-3)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Player | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: David Raya | 8.3 |
RB: Ben White | 6.9 |
CB: William Saliba | 7.2 |
CB: Gabriel | 7.0 |
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly | 7.7 |
CM: Martin Ødegaard | 8.4 |
CM: Martín Zubimendi | 7.7 |
CM: Mikel Merino | 7.6 |
RW: Gabriel Martinelli | 7.9 |
ST: Viktor Gyökeres | 6.6 |
LW: Leandro Trossard | 7.4 |
SUB: Declan Rice (58' for Merino) | 6.5 |
SUB: Jurriën Timber (58' for White) | 6.6 |
SUB: Bukayo Saka (73' for Martinelli) | 7.1 |
SUB: Eberechi Eze (73' for Trossard) | 6.1 |
SUB: Cristhian Mosquera (75' for Gabriel) | 6.1 |
Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Riccardo Calafiori, Christian Nørgaard, Max Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri.
Player of the Match: Martin Ødegaard
Olympiacos (4-2-3-1): Konstantikos Tzolakis; Costinha, Panagiotis Retsos, Lorenzo Pirola, Francisco Ortega; Dani García, Santiago Hezze; Gelson Martins, Chiquinho, Daniel Podence; Ayoub El Kaabi.
Subs: Giulian Biancone, Christos Mouzakitis, Lorenzo Scipioni, Gabriel Strefezza, Mehdi Taremi