Using a reserve team, Arsenal were outmatched, suffering two shots hitting the post in a 1-1 draw at PSV in the final round of Group B Champions League.
Sure to continue at the top of the table, coach Mikel Arteta replaced eight starting positions compared to the match against Aston Villa last weekend. Only Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Kai Havertz were retained, while reserve players such as Cedric Soares, Jakub Kiwior, Mohamed Elneny or Reiss Nelson rarely started. Three teenage players, 18-year-old defender Reuell Walters, 18-year-old left-back Lino Sousa and 17-year-old striker Ethan Nwaneri, were all substitutes and did not play a minute.
Coach Mikel Arteta in PSV’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal in round six of Group B of the Champions League at Philips Stadium, Eindhoven on December 12. Photo: Reuters
Arsenal’s second team got off to a shaky start, allowing PSV to press and create many opportunities. In the 6th minute, Aaron Ramsdale came out to block Yorbe Vertessen, then the ball went to Ricardo Pepi. This player kicked into an empty goal, but was blocked by midfielder Gabriel Magalhaes with his foot all the way across the line. In the 19th minute, from a cross on the right wing, Vertessen flew and headed diagonally against the post.
The away team only played better from the second half of the first half. In the 29th minute, Mohamed Elneny passed two PSV players, approached the penalty area and then took a dangerous long shot that hit the post. The difference came in the 42nd minute, when Eddie Nketiah neatly controlled Nelson’s pass and then shot through the legs of midfielder Ramalho, putting the ball out of goalkeeper Walter Benitez’s reach. The English striker opened fire in his first start in the Champions League and scored his sixth goal in all competitions since the beginning of the season.
The same scenario played out in the second half. PSV started the game better and equalized the score in the 50th minute. From Saliba’s error in cutting the ball, Ricardo Pepi escaped and fed the ball for Vertessen to advance. The curled shot hit the post before entering the net.
The home team maintained the pressure and missed the opportunity to take the lead in the 66th minute. Saibari went down to beat Declan Rice – the player who replaced Cedric Soares and was placed in the central defender position – then shot from a tight angle and hit the post.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale looked up as the ball hit the post from Ismael Saibari’s shot in PSV’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Philips Stadium, Eindhoven in round six of Group B of the Champions League on December 12
Arsenal continued to play better in the second half, and put the ball into PSV’s net in the 81st minute with Kiwior’s header. But the goal was not recognized because Gabriel participated in the attack in an offside position. In the sixth minute of injury, Martin Odegaard could not beat the PSV goalkeeper in a face-to-face position, then Kiwior kicked out.
The 1-1 result satisfied both Arsenal and PSV as they both entered the 1/8 round of the Champions League. Lens finished third and will participate in the Europa League play-off round, while Sevilla was eliminated.
Competing lineup:
PSV: Benitez, Teze, Ramalho, Obispo, Junior, Tillman (Til 83), Van Aanholt, Saibari (Dest 74), Bakayoko (Babadi 74), Pepi, Vertessen (Oppegard 90).
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Cedric (Rice 61), Saliba (White 61), Gabriel, Kiwior, Elneny (Odegaard 61), Jorginho, Havertz (Smith-Rowe 89), Nelson (Jesus 89), Trossard, Nketiah.