Arsenal secured a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported.
Real Madrid managed to keep the hosts at bay in the first half, largely thanks to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Moments before the interval, Courtois pulled off a remarkable double save to deny Arsenal a breakthrough.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute. Declan Rice curled a fierce free-kick around the wall and past the outstretched Courtois to give Arsenal the lead.
Twelve minutes later, Rice struck again. This time, he delivered an even more spectacular free-kick, bending the ball with precision into the top corner, leaving Courtois helpless.
Arsenal continued to press and were rewarded in the 75th minute. Miles Lewis-Skelly squared the ball across the box for Mikel Merino, who fired a first-time strike into the far corner to extend Arsenal's advantage to 3-0.
The Gunners will carry a comfortable lead into the second leg next Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
The winner will book a place in the semi-finals of Europe's top club competition.