Emirates Cup: Arsenal defeated by Borussia Dortmund in 3-2 match
Match Overview
Arsenal returned to Emirates Stadium for their first match since being crowned Premier League champions, facing Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup. The home side was defeated 3-2 by Borussia Dortmund. Despite the loss, Arsenal won a penalty shootout held after the match, with Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ethan Nwaneri all converting their penalties.
Borussia Dortmund opened the scoring with Samuele Inacio, followed by Konstantino Karetsas curling in a second goal. Ethan Nwaneri, a substitute for Arsenal, pulled one back after work from Christos Tzolis. Joane Gadou scored a third for Dortmund from a corner. Viktor Gyokeres then scored Arsenal’s second goal from a penalty after Tzolis was fouled.
Player Performances and Manager’s Comments
Several Arsenal players featured in the match. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga conceded two goals before being substituted at half-time. Ben White was noted as the best performer in Arsenal’s back four during his time on the pitch. Cristhian Mosquera was involved in Dortmund’s opening goal, while Gabriel Magalhaes made his first pre-season start after returning from the World Cup.
Riccardo Calafiori was caught high up the pitch, leading to Dortmund’s second goal. Myles Lewis-Skelly, at 19 years old, had a less impactful game. Captain Martin Odegaard played his first minutes of pre-season since returning from the World Cup, showing some bright moments before being taken off after 30 minutes. Kai Havertz played in midfield but did not get on the ball frequently. Max Dowman, 16 years old, showed quality and set up Gyokeres, whose effort hit the crossbar. Christos Tzolis provided good deliveries and assisted Nwaneri’s goal. Viktor Gyokeres scored a penalty in the second half.
Manager Mikel Arteta discussed the match, stating that losing a football match, even a friendly, should hurt. He acknowledged that the team needs to improve and that many players are still missing or lack sufficient training. Arteta mentioned that some players, including David and Bukayo, returned earlier than expected, and that all players would be available to start the training programme the following day.
Squad Additions and Injury Updates
Mikel Arteta expressed delight over the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, highlighting his energy, hunger, and desire to create history at the club. Arteta believes Guimaraes brings versatility, the ability to win the ball back, progress play quickly, and poses a goal threat. The manager indicated that the club is looking for the right player in the market to make the squad much better.
Regarding injuries, Jurrien Timber is progressing well and is on the pitch, but is still weeks away from returning. William Saliba is currently in a two-week rest period due to an aggravated injury, which will require some time to heal. Arteta noted that the team has experienced similar situations with key players missing in the past.
Ethan Nwaneri, 19 years old, came on as a substitute and scored in the second half. Illan Meslier, who came on at half-time, made a save but the rebound led to Dortmund’s third goal. Piero Hincapie was introduced at the hour mark to build up his pre-season minutes. Marli Salmon, 16 years old, was brought on at centre-back and made impressive contributions. Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Fabio Vieira were among the late changes but had limited impact due to the disrupted flow of the game. Ife Ibrahim, Theo Julienne (18 years old), Josh Ogunnaike, and Ceadach O’Neill also featured in the closing minutes of the game.
Arteta confirmed that players returning from the World Cup are at different stages of readiness, but he is confident they will be back before the season starts. He also mentioned that the team will manage the opening parts of the season differently due to varying fitness levels, as seen with Martin Odegaard playing 30 minutes in this match.
Source: bbc.com
