ARSENAL downed Dundalk with three goals in the space of four minutes.
The Irish side impressed at the Emirates, restricting the Gunners to very few chances until Eddie Nketiah took advantage of a goalkeeping error to open the scoring after 42 minutes.
Joe Willock then added the second two minutes later before Nicolas Pepe rounded off the win a minute after the half time break.
THAT’S ALL FOR TONIGHT
Arsenal make it two wins from two and two academy products got on the score sheet to lend a helping hand.
European competition is out of the way and it’s back to the Premier League.
Arteta’s men will be full of confidence when they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United at the weekend!
GOODNIGHT!
ACADEMY PRODUCT
Eddie Nketiah has hit the ten goal mark at professional level for Arsenal!
NO LUCK OF THE IRISH
Match report from Mark Irwin!
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK MATCH REPORT
STAT OF THE DAY
Dundalk didn’t commit a single foul in the whole 90 minutes! Now, it’s either they were chasing shadows OR they’re extremely well disciplined.
DEBUT
Folarin Balogun made his Arsenal debut!
FULL-TIME STATS
Arsenal continued to dominate the ball in the second half, increasing their share of possession to 62 per cent.
The two goals before half-time crushed Dundalk’s spirit and it was one way traffic from that point forward.
Arsenal had a lot of joy in the wide areas of the attacking third, Pepe and Nelson looked threatening every time they picked up the ball and drove Arsenal forward.
It was the quick interchanging passing in the right channel which saw Willock play the ball in to Pepe for Arsenal’s third.
The heat map tells you everything you need to know, all of the football being played was inside the Dundalk half.
Arsenal pinned their opponents inside their own half, were clinical where it mattered and saw the game out for three points.
FT: ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
Arsenal get the job done, three fantastic goals earned them three valuable points at home!
Dundalk can leave the game with their heads held high, they didn’t win the game but they most certainly didn’t embarrass themselves.
Pepe’s wonder strike added to Nketiah and Willock’s first half goals, he touched the ball out of his feet and planted the ball into the top right corner with his weaker right foot.
It’ll be a game to remember for the visitors, it’s not often you get to play one of the best sides in the Premier League.
Two on the bounce for Arteta’s men, six points from six!
PEEEEEEP!
THAT’S FULL-TIME!
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
90. Three added minutes it is!
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
89. Willock is in the thick of things again, he’s twisting and turning inside the penalty area, he gets his head to look for Cedric to his right but the right-back was stationary.
He tries to drive to the byline but the defence do their best to stop a fourth going in.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
87. Olé…… Olé……Olé! pass after pass from Arsenal, Dundalk are down and out but at least they’ve managed to keep the score at 3-0.
Three minutes rumoured to be added on once we reach 90.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
85. Arsenal are seeing out the win under very little threat or pressure, five plus additional minutes to be played.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
83. Positive play from Willian down the right, he beats his man with a couple of step overs before whipping a cross into the box, Boyle got to the ball first and headed the ball behind for a corner.
Willian to take.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
79. Some neat footwork inside the penalty are from Nelson, instead of taking the shot on his left foot he lays it off to Tierney behind him who smashed his effort over the crossbar.
Arsenal look dangerous every time they come forward, we might see another goal in the final ten.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
77. Just over ten minutes to go at the end of the second half and there hasn’t been an awful lot to report on in the last couple of minutes.
Dundalk are starting to see more of the ball and they’re progressing up the pitch but they’re not getting the final ball right.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
75. Poor effort from Hoban, high and wide…. Runarsson hasn’t been tested at all in the second half.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
74. Dundalk have a free-kick in a promising position thanks to a clumsy challenge from Willian, 35 yards from goal and a decent chance to get a shot on target.
Hoban to take.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
72. A change for Dundalk as Colovic comes on for Duffy.
Arsenal are making a double change and we’re going to see Folarin Balogun and Kieran Tierney!
Xhaka and Nketiah are making way.
Balogun is one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects in the academy, fans have been itching to see him get his chance.
JOB DONE
Dundalk look a defeated side, Arteta doesn’t have to call upon Aubameyang to save him this time!
Credit: Getty Images
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
67. Wonderful cross into the box from the right hand-side by Cedric, Nketiah tries to get on the end of it but the on-rushing keeper put the him off.
Cedric put the ball the ball right on the money, all it needed was a touch past Rogers.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
66. Lovely skill from Willock inside the penalty area, he dances his way into space before hesitating to pull the trigger, the hesitation allows Gartland to get back and stick a foot in.
Arsenal corner and Willian to take.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
65. It’s looking like damage limitation now from Dundalk, they have ten men behind the ball trying to shut Arsenal out from getting a fourth.
Most of the play in the 65 minutes played have been played inside Dundalk’s half.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
62. Arsenal are sticking with the same formation, Elneny is slotting into the back three alongside Xhaka and Kolasinac.
Great speed from Nelson as he leads yet another counter attack, he does a couple of step overs before skinning Gartland, he tries to pull the ball back to Nketiah but his cross is blocked.
Nelson has been impressive tonight, he does however need to improve on his final ball if he’s going to break into Arsenal’s starting XI.
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
61. Gannon is coming on for Shields, it’s Gannon’s seventh season at Dundalk!
ARSENAL 3-0 DUNDALK
60. Nelson capitalises on another Dundalk mistake by the byline, he picks the wrong pass and instead of pulling the ball back to Pepe he drilled it across the face of goal!
Whilst the substitutions are being made with Pepe and Mustafi being replaced by Willian and Ceballos, let’s take a look at Pepe’s beauty!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
