Two months after Arsene Wenger failed to break Diego Simone’s Atletico Madrid his successor Unai Emery gets his chance in the International Champions Cup in Singapore.
Starting Line-Up’s:
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Guendouzi, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Juanfran, Montero, Thomas, Moya, Rodrigo, Olabe, Joaquín, Correa, Gameiro, Vietto
Bernd Leno makes his debut in Arsenal colors while Emile Smith-Rowe gets his chance to impress. Guendouzi as well as Ramsey starts in the midfield with Lacazette and Aubameyang starting together again. Aaron Ramsey will be tonight’s skipper despite ‘uncertainty’ over new contract, as team-mate Mesut Ozil spectates from the bench.
First Half
Arsenal looked to start on the front foot with keeping the ball as well as maintaining constant pressure without the ball.
Lacazette had a couple of good chances in the first half but Juan Oblak was firm on the last line of defence. New signing Guendouzi, who has inherited Granit Xhaka’s number 29 looked calm as well as confident moving the ball around well with some pitch-perfect long passes.
Another of the player that shined in the first half for Arsenal – Reiss Nelson, with some exceptional runs down the wings he created some valuable chances which could have easily been converted.
Though story of the first half is defied by that Vietto’s header behind Leno. Atletico’s Correa exposed Arsenal’s defence on the left before cutting Holding inside out followed by a cross picking out Vietto who sends it past Leno with a bullet header.
Second Half
Only one change coming into the second half, Arsenal bring in Petr Cech for Bernd Leno.
The Gunners start the second forty-five on a high with an absolute beauty from Emile Smith Rowe. Smith Rowes skips past three and bullets it straight into top-left corner. He has seduced us with his dribbles so far, but this goal just cements his name in our hearts. Surely someone to lookout for next season.
Atletico came near to scoring in the 57th minute, but no one knows ‘How Arsenal managed not to concede there‘. Guendouzi is skipped off before Aaron Ramsey potters up the ball only to be dispossessed to Correa, who plays it in for Vietto who shoots from about six yards that Cech somehow kept out.
Unai Emery decided to change his squad with eight substitutions – Mavropanos, Sokratis, Chambers, Mkhitaryan, Maitland-Niles, Osei-Tutu, Nketiah come in for Holding, Mustafi, Bellerin, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Ramsey, Lacazette Aubameyang respectively. Koalsinac and Guendouzi were the only players who were still on from the efirst minute for Arsenal, though Guendouzi was replaced by Joe Willock in the 74th minute.
Scoreboard remained still until the final whistle, as we headed straight for penalties!
Penalties
1. Correa comes for Atletico Madrid: Petr Cech dives to the left and SAVES !
1. Mkhitaryan steps up for Arsenal: only to miss in a similar fashion as Angel Correa, shoots wide on the left which was saved easily by Adan.
2. Atletico takes the lead as Rodri rifles it doown the middle.
2. Joe Willock keeps it low though couldn’t convert it with another excellent save from Adan.
3. Garces tries his luck on the same side as Willock and gets same fate as him as well.
3. Maitland-Niles gets Arsenal off the mark with a cheeky panenka down the middle.
4. Mallejo sends Petr Cech the wrong way as Atletico takes lead again!!
4. Third SAVE for Adan as Nketiah fails to convert a weak shot.
5. Goalkeeper Adan takes matter in his own hands as he guns it in the middle, it clips under the bar as Atletico Madrid defeats Arsenal on penalties.
Henrick Mkhitaryan, Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah all missed for Arsenal as hard work continues for The Gunners, they will face Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
