Gabriel Martinelli delivered a performance for the history books as his first-ever Arsenal hat-trick powered the Gunners to a thrilling 4-1 comeback victory over Portsmouth at a packed Fratton Park, sealing passage into the FA Cup fourth round.
The tie sprang into life early when Portsmouth struck first. Just two minutes in, Colby Bishop reacted quickest after Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry an initial effort, turning home the rebound to give the hosts a dream start and ignite the home crowd.
However, Arsenal responded with composure and authority. Momentum quickly swung back in the visitors’ favour when a corner caused chaos in the Portsmouth box, resulting in Andre Dozzell diverting the ball into his own net to restore parity.
From there, Arsenal began to dictate the tempo, and their dominance from set pieces soon told again. On 25 minutes, Noni Madueke’s corner delivery found Martinelli, who glanced a header into the net to complete the turnaround.
As the first half wore on, chances continued to flow. Martinelli went close on multiple occasions, clipping the post from a tight angle and narrowly missing with a curled effort when clean through.
The Gunners were then handed a golden opportunity to extend their lead before the break when Madueke won a penalty, only to drag his spot-kick wide.
After the restart, Arsenal wasted no time in asserting control. A quickly taken free-kick caught Portsmouth off guard, allowing Gabriel Jesus to square for Martinelli, who calmly tapped home to make it 3-1 and complete his brace.
From that moment, the Gunners looked firmly in command, moving the ball with confidence while keeping the hosts at arm’s length.
Portsmouth continued to show spirit, pushing forward in search of a route back into the contest, but Arsenal’s defensive structure held firm.
Substitute Ethan Nwaneri and the returning Kai Havertz both made an impact, as Arsenal pressed for a decisive fourth goal.
That moment arrived once again from a corner, Arsenal’s most potent weapon on the day. Madueke delivered with precision, and Martinelli rose highest to nod the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net, completing a memorable hat-trick and securing the match ball.
The closing stages also saw a slice of club history, as 16-year-old Marli Salmon became Arsenal’s youngest-ever FA Cup appearance-maker.
While Havertz narrowly missed a dream return with a late effort, the afternoon ultimately belonged to Martinelli, whose landmark performance ensured Arsenal remain firmly in the hunt for silverware on multiple fronts.
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