By Robert Wheeler
- Arsenal win the Community Shield
- Late equaliser and penalties needed
- Big statement ahead of new season
LONDON, UK – A late Leandro Trossard goal forced a penalty shootout that Arsenal won to claim the season’s first silverware.
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Arsenal and Manchester City battled it out for the Premier League last season, which Pep Guardiola‘s side ultimately won. However, the Gunners drew the first blood of the new campaign as they defeated City on penalties to win the Community Shield.
The match was a cagey affair and it looked like Cole Palmer had won it for City when he finished into the top corner in the 77th minute. Arsenal kept fighting and Leandro Trossard‘s strike was deflected in off Manuel Akanji for a 101st-minute equaliser.
A penalty shootout was to decide the game, it started badly for City when Kevin De Bruyne‘s effort struck the crossbar. Rodri who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final also missed. Arsenal made no make mistakes from the spot and Fabio Vieira struck in the decisive winner.
Mikel Arteta is building an impressive side to mount another title challenge. Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all made their competitive debuts for the Gunners. Rice has now made it back-to-back trophy lifts as in his last game for West Ham United he won the Europa Conference League. Now he is at a Champions League club and has the opportunity to win more major trophies.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale reflected on what the win meant in his post-match interview on ITV, “It’s a marker to know that we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters.” The Gunners failed to do this last season but they can take a lot of positives from this victory.
Of course, the winners of the Community Shield do not always go on to have success throughout the season. Liverpool won it last year and ended up finishing fifth in the league. City were beaten by the Reds and went on to win three major trophies.
Guardiola’s men will be even more determined to emulate their success. City’s goalscorer Palmer said to ITV after the game, “We have to pick ourselves up and go again… Hopefully, we can win the Treble again but it will be a difficult ask.”
The Premier League returns next weekend with Manchester City taking in Burnley on Friday, August 11.
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