Arsenal demonstrated a dominant performance against Dinamo Zagreb, securing a 3-0 victory in their Champions League encounter. The goals, scored by Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard, significantly bolster Arsenal’s chances of progressing to the knockout stages of the competition. This win places them in a strong position, virtually guaranteeing a spot in the top eight of their group, and they are now third with 16 points.
The match began with an early goal from Declan Rice, finding the net in the first two minutes after a clever lay-off by Kai Havertz. This early lead settled the team, who were looking to bounce back from a recent draw against Aston Villa in the Premier League. Rice’s goal was his first in the Champions League, marking a significant moment for him in the competition. Arsenal continued to dominate the first half, creating several opportunities to increase their lead, although they couldn’t capitalize on all of them. Dinamo Zagreb, managed by Fabio Cannavaro, struggled to gain a foothold in the match, and although they created some threats on counter-attacks, they did not prove enough to challenge Arsenal’s defense.
The second half saw Arsenal continuing their dominance, with Kai Havertz scoring the second goal in the 66th minute, a header from a Gabriel Martinelli cross. This goal, Havertz’s 14th of the season, settled the nerves of manager Mikel Arteta. Martin Odegaard added a third goal in stoppage time, his first in 14 games, solidifying Arsenal’s victory. The win was the 500th goal that Arsenal have scored since Arteta took charge. The win also ensures that they are in a comfortable position going into their final group game against Girona. A draw in that game will be enough to avoid any possibility of being dragged into a two-legged play-off in February.
The match also saw Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, praise the performances of Rice and Havertz, noting that Rice’s consistent positioning will lead to more goals in future games, and Havertz is on track for his most prolific season and was also named man of the match. Arteta was happy with the result and noted the team’s fourth consecutive clean sheet in the competition. Furthermore, Arteta provided an injury update on Myles Lewis-Skelly which would require further tests. The coach was also happy with his team’s reaction to their poor Premier League result against Aston Villa.
Dinamo Zagreb’s manager, Fabio Cannavaro, acknowledged the difficulty of conceding an early goal but noted positives in his team’s performance. Cannavaro described the game as the “biggest match of my coaching career”. He noted his team had not played since mid December, and he also is newly appointed as coach, which might have contributed to the team’s performance. Dinamo are currently in the elimination places and will need to win their last match against AC Milan to stand a chance of qualifying for the play-offs. Dinamo will need a result to avoid elimination, while Arsenal is aiming for the top-8 placement.
The victory also enabled Arsenal to plan for a warm-weather training camp in Dubai during the off-season after their early FA cup exit, something that Mikel Arteta says will be good for his players who have had a busy schedule. However, Arsenal’s mixed fortunes in the Premier League are causing frustration, as highlighted by a message on a mural outside the ground that called for more investment in the squad. Despite some players like Raheem Sterling struggling, Arteta’s overall strategy seems to be paying off in the Champions League.
Sources:
https://arseblog.news/2025/01/post-dinamo-zagreb-quotes-round-up-arteta-cannavaro-odegaard-mmaee-rice/
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jan/22/arsenal-dinamo-zagreb-champions-league-match-report
https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/champions-league/arsenal-vs-dinamo-zagreb-score-results-uefa-champions-league-2024-25-ucl-goals-highlights-football-news/article69130364.ece
