Arsenal’s Kai Havertz maintained his impressive start to the season with the opening goal in a 2-0 home victory against Paris Saint Germain which kick-started the London club’s Champions League campaign on Tuesday.
After drawing away to Italian side Atalanta in its opening game the onus was on Mikel Arteta’s side to deliver a home win against last year’s semi-finalist and it delivered.
German forward Havertz headed his side in front after 20 minutes with his fifth goal of the season and 15 minutes later Bukayo Saka’s free kick somehow found its way into the PSG net to put the host in complete control.
PSG, who won its opening game against Girona, struck the woodwork in each half and played with more urgency after the interval but could have few complaints about the outcome.
Victory propelled Arsenal into the top eight of the new 36-team league phase with its next match at home to Shakhtar Donetsk after the international break. PSG will seek to bounce back in its next match at home to PSV Eindhoven.
Arsenal almost made the perfect start in route-one fashion as a long clearance by keeper David Raya skimmed off the wet turf and Gabriel Martinelli almost nicked it past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Arsenal took the lead in the 20th minute as Trossard was allowed too much time on the left and his lofted ball was perfect for the late run of Havertz who nodded past the out-of-position Donnarumma into an empty net.
Nuno Mendes struck a left-footed shot against the post as PSG responded but Arsenal soon doubled its lead.
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Havertz’s goal extended PSG’s run without a clean sheet away from home in the Champions League to 20 — a sorry sequence starting four years ago.
And the way it conceded again in the 35th would not have looked out of place on a local park pitch.
Saka curled a free kick from the right into a crowded penalty area and the ball evaded everyone and left Donnarumma red-faced as it nestled into the net.
PSG’s hopes of mounting a second-half comeback were hardly helped by Luis Enrique’s decision to omit forward Ousmane Dembele from the squad for disciplinary reasons.
Instead, it was Arsenal who looked like extending its lead with Martinelli’s volley well saved by Donnarumma and Havertz heading weakly at the keeper.
Arsenal’s energy levels began to drop and Arteta gave a substitute appearance to new signing Mikel Merino, his first appearance for his new club.
PSG pressed hard late on and Joao Neves’s close-range flick from a corner was turned against the crossbar by Raya who moments later did well to block Lee Kang-in’s shot.
But Arsenal managed the game well as it sent out a statement of European intent.
