Noni Madueke was the focus of the first half at Jan Breydel stadium on 10/12. In the 13th minute, the English wing forward fell to the ground, received several minutes of attention from Arsenal's medical team, and appeared unable to continue playing.

On the sidelines, coach Mikel Arteta, who has spoken about Arsenal being caught in a dangerous injury spiral, was restless and constantly conversing with his assistants. However, after a few minutes, doctors taped some of Madueke's fingers, allowing him to resume play.

Noni Madueke scored the opening goal in Arsenal's Champions League group stage match against Club Brugge at Jan Breydel stadium, Sint-Andries, Brugge, Belgium on 10/12/2025. Photo: GiveMeSport

Approximately 10 minutes later, Madueke shined with the opening goal. Receiving the ball on the right wing, the 23-year-old used strength and speed to bypass two Club Brugge players, cut inside, and then unleashed a powerful shot from about 20 meters into the top corner of the net. Goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel's diving effort merely served as a backdrop for the spectacular goal.

Arsenal fans had initially voiced strong opposition when news broke that Arsenal was preparing to sign Madueke from rival club Chelsea for 68 million USD. However, the English forward's consistent scoring of important goals in the Champions League, including the goal that made it 2-1 against Bayern and the opener against Club Brugge, has undoubtedly shifted the fans' opinions.

Noni Madueke heads into an empty net to complete his brace. Photo: AFP

Madueke's opening goal provided Arsenal with a psychological boost, leading to a more explosive performance in the second half. In the 47th minute, Martin Zubimendi broke down the left wing and delivered a cross to the far post. The entire Club Brugge defense watched the ball as Madueke charged in to head it into an empty net, completing his brace. Madueke became the first Arsenal player to score the club's first three goals in the European Cup/Champions League.

Not to be outdone by his teammate, Gabriel Martinelli also conjured a spectacular goal in Belgium. In the 56th minute, the Brazilian forward dribbled from the left wing, cut inside, and curled the ball towards the far corner. Once again, goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel's full-stretch dive could not reach the ball. Martinelli became the first Arsenal player to score in five consecutive Champions League matches, having found the net against Bilbao, Olympiakos, Atletico, Bayern, and Club Brugge.

Gabriel Martinelli's spectacular curled shot. Photo: Arsenal FC

In this match, Arsenal held an edge with 51% possession, taking 16 shots with 13 on target, compared to Club Brugge's 16 shots with seven on target. The "Gunners" could have won by a larger margin if they had been more clinical with their chances, including a shot by defender Piero Hincapie that hit the post. On the other side, Club Brugge attempted shots in most of their notable attacks but failed to score.

Beyond the victory, Arsenal also received a squad boost as Gabriel Jesus entered the field in the second half, marking his return since undergoing cruciate ligament surgery in January. The Brazilian forward nearly celebrated his comeback with a goal, hitting the crossbar in the 79th minute.

Arsenal stands as the only club with a perfect winning record in this season's Champions League, almost certainly securing a top eight spot to advance directly to the round of 16. In their two remaining matches, the "Gunners" will face Inter Milan on 20/1 and Kairat on 28/1.