Ethan Nwaneri goes third in historic Arsenal rout – The youngest Champions League knockout scorers

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1st team to score seven in away UCL KO game 

©IMAGO

Arsenal fans would have been forgiven for going into their Champions League round of 16 tie at PSV with an element of fear. The Gunners had failed to score in their last two games against West Ham and Nottingham Forest, and continue to be severely depleted up-front. Central midfielder Mikel Merino would once again start as striker against the Eredivisie champions. However, Mikel Arteta’s team sent a message to Europe, as they produced a historic 7-1 win in Eindhoven – their biggest ever European victory. Arsenal became the first ever team to score seven goals in an away Champions League knockout game.

Barring a first-half scare, where young full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly was slightly fortunate not to receive a second yellow card, it was the most perfect evening imaginable for the North London side. Captain Martin Ødegaard looked back to his best with two goals and a sumptuous assist. Make-shift striker Merino hit the back of the net again. Leandro Trossard shone in Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli’s absence. But one of the sweetest moments of all for Arsenal would have been seeing 18-year-old academy graduate Lewis-Skelly cross for 17-year-old academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri to find the back of the net. A goal built in Hale End. Two local lads who have been playing together since they were 10 shining on Europe’s biggest stage.

In scoring his goal, Nwaneri put himself among the history books once again. He had already scored in the league phase against Girona this season, as well as notching three times in the Premier League. However, his goal in the 7-1 demolition this Tuesday meant Nwaneri became the third youngest goalscorer in Champions League knockout round history at 17 years, 11 months, and 11 days. But who remains ahead of the Englishman? In first place is former Barcelona starlet Bojan – the young Spaniard scored against Schalke in the quarter-finals of the 2007/08 season, aged just 17 years and seven months old. In second is England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who scored for Borussia Dortmund against Manchester City aged 17 years, and nine months old.

Just after Nwaneri in fourth is Jamal Musiala – the German attacking midfielder scored aged 17 years, 11 months, and 28 days against Lazio in the 2020/21 season for Bayern Munich. Fifth goes to Kylian Mbappé, with the young Frenchman scoring for Monaco aged 18 years, and two months old in the 2016/17 Champions League campaign. The rest of the top 10 is comprised of Christian Pulisic (aged 18y 6m for Dortmund), George Ilenikhena (aged 18y 6m for Monaco), Obafemi Martins (aged 18y 6m for Inter Milan), Nwankwo Kanu (aged 18y 7m for Ajax), and Nordi Wooter (aged 18y 8m for Ajax).