Arsenal defeated by Borussia Dortmund in Emirates Cup
Match Overview
Arsenal faced a 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup, marking their first return to Emirates Stadium since being crowned Premier League champions. Despite the loss, Arsenal won a post-match penalty shootout, a practice agreed upon by both teams regardless of the game’s outcome.
Samuele Inacio opened the scoring for Dortmund, followed by an excellent second goal from Konstantino Karetsas. Ethan Nwaneri, a substitute for Arsenal, pulled one goal back after work from Christos Tzolis. Joane Gadou then scored Dortmund’s third goal from a corner. Viktor Gyokeres converted a penalty for Arsenal’s second goal after Tzolis was fouled.
Player Performances and Manager’s Comments
Several Arsenal players saw action, with some returning from the World Cup. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga conceded two goals before being substituted at half-time. Ben White, an England international, was noted for his fit and sharp performance. Cristhian Mosquera was involved in Dortmund’s first goal, while Gabriel Magalhaes made his first pre-season start after returning from the World Cup, receiving a yellow card for a foul on Karetsas.
Riccardo Calafiori, a left-back, was caught high up the pitch, leading to Dortmund’s second goal. Myles Lewis-Skelly, 19, had a less impactful game despite a good pre-season. Captain Martin Odegaard played his first minutes of pre-season since the World Cup, showing some bright moments and a good pass before being taken off after 30 minutes. Kai Havertz played in midfield but had limited involvement. Max Dowman, 16, showed quality, beating his full-back and setting up Gyokeres, whose effort hit the crossbar.
Christos Tzolis provided good deliveries and assisted Nwaneri’s goal. Viktor Gyokeres demonstrated effort and energy, hitting the crossbar in the first half before scoring a penalty in the second. Substitutes included Ethan Nwaneri, 19, who scored, and goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who made a save before Dortmund’s third goal from a rebound. Other substitutes included Piero Hincapie, Marli Salmon, 16, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Ife Ibrahim, Theo Julienne, 18, Josh Ogunnaike, and Ceadach O’Neill.
Manager Mikel Arteta discussed the match and player readiness. He acknowledged the loss and the need for improvement, noting that some players require more minutes to gain rhythm. Arteta stated that losing, even in a friendly, should hurt. He also mentioned that the team is missing several players and some have not had enough training.
Squad Updates and Preparations
Arteta expressed delight about the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, highlighting his energy, hunger, and desire to create history at the club. He believes Guimaraes will bring versatility, the ability to win the ball back, progress play quickly, and pose a goal threat. Arteta confirmed that Guimaraes has proven his warrior-like qualities.
Regarding injuries, Jurrien Timber is progressing well but is still weeks away from returning. William Saliba is in a two-week rest period due to an aggravated injury, which will take some time to heal. Some English and Spanish players, including David and Bukayo, returned earlier than expected, with all players expected to be available to start their training program soon. Arteta indicated that the team is looking to add more players to the squad if the right market opportunities arise.
The manager also addressed the varying fitness levels of players returning from the World Cup, stating that some have done more or less in terms of minutes played. He plans to assess how they have looked after themselves. Arteta confirmed that the team will manage the opening parts of the season differently due to these varied fitness levels, as seen with Martin Odegaard playing 30 minutes and numerous changes made in previous matches.
Arsenal won the penalty shootout after the match, with Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ethan Nwaneri all scoring.
Source: bbc.com
