Inter Milan 1-3 Arsenal: Report, result and goals as Gunners seal top-two spot
Gabriel Jesus scored twice and Viktor Gyokeres also hit the target as Arsenal made it seven wins from seven in the Champions League.
Arsenal produced a strong away performance to maintain their 100 percent record in the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Inter Milan 3-1 at San Siro, securing a top-two finish in the league phase thanks to a double from Gabriel Jesus.
The Gunners were already sure of a spot in the top eight and automatic progression last 16 following Manchester City’s shock 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt earlier on Tuesday
And they sealed second-leg home ties throughout the knockout stages by edging an entertaining affair with last season’s finalists, a close-range strike from Jesus putting Arsenal ahead in the 10th minute.
Petar Sucic levelled eight minutes later, only for a point-blank header from Jesus just after the half-hour mark to restore the Arsenal advantage.
Jesus was preferred to Viktor Gyokeres up front, but it was the Swede who came off the bench to seal the points, doing so with a curling effort six minutes from the end of normal time.
While Arsenal can look forward to shuffling their pack significantly in their league phase finale against Kairat, Inter still have work to do. They are a point outside the top eight ahead of Wednesday’s fixtures, and face a tricky trip to Borussia Dortmund to finish their league phase campaign next week.
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Jesus and Gyokeres seal Arsenal win
Arsenal were rewarded for a positive start when Jesus reacted instinctively as Jurrien Timber’s scuffed shot fell into his path, the Brazilian turning home from point-blank range to break the deadlock.
Yet Inter responded well and hit back in style, Sucic beating David Raya from the edge of the area with a sublime finish after Arsenal had failed to clear the danger following Marcus Thuram’s surge into the box.
Eberechi Eze went close to an immediate reply before Thuram blazed over at the end of an excellent counter from the hosts.
Inter were made to pay for that profligacy when Trossard headed Bukayo Saka’s corner to the far post against the crossbar and back into the danger area, where Jesus was waiting to nod home his second.
Luis Henrique wasted another Inter opportunity and Federico DiMarco was denied at the near post by Raya following more excellent work from the impressive Sucic.
Leandro Trossard fired narrowly wide from a superb Bukayo Saka cross 11 minutes into the second half, before Pio Esposito was unfortunate to see an effort drift the wrong side of the post at the other end.
But Arsenal did a better job of blunting the Inter threat in the second half and, when Gyokeres bent brilliantly into the top-right corner, a seventh win from seven in the Champions League was beyond doubt.
Dream night for Jesus
Jesus only returned from an ACL injury in December, having spent 11 months on the sideline, and his double made it three goals for the striker since his comeback.
For the former Manchester City star, a boyhood fan of Italian football, his instrumental performance represented a dream come true.
Jesus told Amazon Prime Video Sport: “It’s a dream night. I always dreamed of being a footballer. I watched when I was a kid. I watched a lot of Serie A, so to be here in this stadium and score here is tears in my eyes because I always dreamed of being here.
“It is always difficult to play against Inter Milan. We came here last season and lost. Tonight we played better than them, we controlled them but they are a top team and they attack. We scored at the end and got the three points. We have to keep going because we have another one at the weekend.”
Arsenal face Manchester United on Saturday in the Premier League.