By Oluwamayowa Fakande
Declan Rice delivered a masterclass at The Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, scoring two breathtaking free kicks to inspire Arsenal to a stunning three nil victory over reigning champions Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
The England midfielder, known more for his midfield control than set piece brilliance, lit up the contest with two moments of magic that left the Spanish giants shell shocked.
Adding to the night’s drama, Mikel Merino capped the display with a composed finish to seal a commanding advantage for the Gunners.
Arsenal dominated much of the first half, pinning Madrid back as the visitors struggled to find their rhythm.
The pressure almost paid off early when Eduardo Camavinga nearly deflected a clearance into his own net, while Thomas Partey tested Thibault Courtois with a drive that lacked the power to trouble the keeper.
Madrid, chasing a record extending sixteenth European crown, grew into the game but remained largely disjointed, with their rare openings coming from Arsenal’s mistakes rather than their own creativity.
Courtois was kept busy throughout, producing a superb double save just before halftime, the highlight being a reflex stop from a powerful Rice header.
However, there was no stopping Rice when it mattered most. In the fifty eighth minute, he curled a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois to open the scoring with his first ever goal from a direct free kick.
“It has been in the locker but too often I have hit the wall or sent it over the bar. I was going to cross it, but I saw the wall and the keeper’s position and thought, just go for it,” Rice admitted after the match.
Arsenal pressed on relentlessly. Courtois briefly kept Madrid in the contest with a flying save to deny Gabriel Martinelli, followed by a crucial stop from Merino, while David Alaba cleared off the line to keep the deficit manageable.
But Rice was not finished. His second free kick, a perfectly placed strike into the top corner in the seventieth minute, sent the Emirates crowd into raptures and left the Madrid defence in despair.
Moments later, substitute Leandro Trossard combined with Myles Lewis Skelly, who teed up Merino for a cool finish to make it three nil, wrapping up a memorable night for Mikel Arteta’s side.
As the final whistle blew, Arsenal’s dream of European glory looked very much alive, while Madrid faces an uphill battle in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
