Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri scores winner at Girona on full CL debut

Ethan Nwaneri scored on his full Champions League debut as Arsenal secured direct passage to the last 16 with a 2-1 win at Girona.

The 17-year-old winger became the second-youngest English goalscorer in the competition after Jude Bellingham when he cracked in what turned out to be the winner late in the first half, a superb curling effort into the corner as Arsenal recovered from going a goal down.

Stand-in goalkeeper Neto, in for the injured David Raya, had a debut to forget, with the Brazilian on loan from Bournemouth badly at fault for allowing former Tottenham forward Arnaut Danjuma to give the home side the lead after 28 minutes.

Girona had already been eliminated on their maiden Champions League campaign and squandered their lead soon after taking it, Thomas Partey fouled inside the box allowing Jorginho to level from the spot for Arsenal.

That set things up three minutes before half-time for Nwaneri to swing his left boot and score his sixth Arsenal goal, though the margin of victory could have been bigger had Raheem Sterling not missed a stoppage-time penalty.

Girona took a surprise lead just before the half-hour mark. Captain Juanpe slipped the ball forwards for Danjuma to run onto. The winger had most of the Arsenal half to race into but his task was made considerably easier by the presence of Neto, stationed 10 yards outside of his box and in no position to beat Danjuma to the ball.

As the shot came in, the goalkeeper inexplicably dived full length in an attempt to reach it and was arguably fortunate that it sailed past his fingertips and in, thereby sparing him the ignominy of a certain red card for hand ball on his Arsenal debut.

It did not take long for Arsenal to hit back and it was another error leading to a goal, this by Girona defender Arnau Martinez, who leaned clumsily into Partey inside the box giving referee Maurizio Mariani a straightforward decision to make. From the resulting penalty, Jorginho stepped up to roll in his first goal since scoring against Lens in this competition in November 2023.

If the equaliser was a gift, the goal that handed Arsenal lead was thoroughly earned by Nwaneri. Leandro Trossard passed the ball to feet on the right side of the box, though there was a sizeable Girona contingent seemingly barring the way to goal.

The 17-year-old made short shrift of them, dashing infield to beat three defenders before sending a lovely, guided finish curling into the corner for 2-1.

Trossard then struck the crossbar as Arsenal threatened to pull further clear before the break.

The second half brought what briefly looked a fairy-tale sign-off from the Champions League for Girona, Cristhian Stuani sliding in at the far post to put the ball in the net on his 273rd club appearance, only for VAR to intervene for offside in the build-up.

Alejandro Frances handled the ball to give Arsenal a stoppage-time penalty, Sterling failing to find the corner as Pau Lopez dived low to save, but Arteta’s side nevertheless ensured they bypass February’s play-off round.