Mata opened the scoring with a free-kick in the 34th minute, and Charles Nduka doubled the lead after coming off the bench. His goal was beautifully struck, bending it around the wall and giving the goalkeeper no chance.
If they can overcome quite literally by far the greatest team the world has ever seen, surviving a magic-adjacent wobble in the process, it is difficult to fathom what might possibly stop the Gunners now. The answer is probably the same as it has been for months: themselves.
"There were many, especially in the early stages. We were very successful back then, at EURO 2016 and then winning the Confederations Cup the following year. The period after that was...actually worse than mediocre."
Both teams demonstrated significant strength in their recent matches, showing that they could be serious contenders for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, but concerns about early peak performances linger.