Kai Havertz shone in his first start of the season, contributing a goal and an assist as we defeated Kairat Almaty, marking our eighth consecutive win in the Champions League group stage.
The German connected with Viktor Gyokeres within two minutes to score the opening goal, but Jorginho’s penalty equalized for the Kazakhstan champions shortly after.
Havertz then curled in another goal before assisting Gabriel Martinelli, who secured his sixth UCL goal this season. Despite a late header from Ricardinho, we maintained our lead, achieving a historic eight wins in the group stage and celebrating Mikel Arteta’s 200th victory as manager.
Havertz’s Impressive Start
Making his first start, Havertz quickly made an impact by setting up the opening goal through a precise pass from Eberechi Eze to Gyokeres, who finished the chance.
Kairat had a chance to equalize when Riccardo Calafiori was penalized for fouling Jorginho after a VAR review. Kairat’s number 7 scored from the penalty spot, leveling the match.
Restoring Our Lead
Just 15 minutes in, our lead was restored thanks to a pinpoint assist from Ben White to Havertz, who skillfully cut in and curled the ball into the net.
The action continued, with Viktor Gyokeres narrowly missing additional opportunities. Noni Madueke also pushed to extend our lead but his close-range efforts were thwarted.
Capping Off the Victory
Havertz and the other goalscorers contributed to Martinelli’s goal through a well-coordinated play, eventually confirmed after a VAR review overturned the assistant referee’s offside call.
In the final moments of the match, two academy graduates made their debuts, showcasing Mikel Arteta’s commitment to developing young talent. While Kairat managed a late goal, we celebrated an impressive victory.
What’s Next for Us?
Looking ahead, we face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday, January 31. Following that, we have a crucial Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea. Our next Champions League fixture will be in March during the round of 16.
