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. The match saw Borussia Dortmund take an early lead with goals from Samuele Inacio and Konstantino Karetsas.
Samuele Inacio opened the scoring for Borussia Dortmund with a finish, followed by Konstantino Karetsas curling in a second goal. Arsenal‘s Ethan Nwaneri, who came on as a substitute, managed to pull one back after work from Christos Tzolis. However, Joane Gadou scored a third for Dortmund from a corner. Viktor Gyokeres scored Arsenal‘s second goal from the penalty spot after Tzolis was fouled.
Despite the match result, both teams had agreed to practice penalties afterwards. Arsenal won the shootout, with Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ethan Nwaneri all converting their penalties.
Player Performances and Manager’s Comments
Several Arsenal players featured in the match, with some making their first appearances of pre-season. Kepa Arrizabalaga, the second-choice goalkeeper, conceded two goals before being substituted at half-time. Ben White, the England international, showed fitness and sharpness, performing well among the back four.
Cristhian Mosquera was involved in Dortmund‘s first goal, with Inacio running off him to score. 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, important to Arsenal‘s attack, was caught high up the pitch, leading to Dortmund‘s second goal.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, a 19-year-old, had a less impactful game despite a good pre-season. Martin Odegaard, the captain, played his first pre-season minutes since returning from the World Cup, showing bright moments and a pass to release Kai Havertz before being taken off after 30 minutes. Kai Havertz played in midfield but did not get on the ball frequently.
Max Dowman, a 16-year-old, grew into the game, 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 before converting a penalty in the second half.
Substitutes included Ethan Nwaneri, who replaced Odegaard and scored in the second half. Illan Meslier came on at half-time, making a save before Dortmund scored their third from the rebound. Piero Hincapie was introduced at the hour mark to build up his pre-season minutes. Marli Salmon, a 16-year-old centre-back, showed his potential with an impressive header and tackles.
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, Josh Ogunnaike, and Ceadach O’Neill also featured in the closing minutes.
Manager Mikel Arteta discussed the match and the squad’s preparation. He acknowledged the loss and the need for improvement, stating that certain players require more minutes and rhythm. He also addressed concerns about pre-season results, emphasizing that losing should hurt, even in friendly matches, but that the team knows its current position.
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 will bring versatility, playing in two different positions, with an intuition to win the ball back and progress play quickly. He also noted Guimaraes‘ ability to put players through, pull between the lines, and his goal threat.
Regarding injuries, Jurrien Timber is progressing well and is on the pitch, though still weeks away from returning to the squad. William Saliba is in a two-week rest period due to an aggravated injury, which will require time to heal. Arteta mentioned that some English and Spanish players, including David and Bukayo, returned earlier than expected and were present at the game, with everyone expected to start training soon.
Arteta also touched upon the team’s defensive performance, acknowledging that some poor goals were conceded due to collective responsibility. He stated the desire to improve with the current players and potentially make more additions to the squad if the right player is available in the market to make the team better. He also noted the absence of several key players, including Saliba and Timber, due to injuries or post-World Cup recovery.
The manager indicated that players returning from the World Cup are at different stages of readiness, depending on their participation and how they maintained their fitness. He expressed confidence that these players would be ready before the season starts. Arteta confirmed that the opening parts of the season would be managed differently due to varying fitness levels, as seen in the recent matches where players like Martin Odegaard played 30 minutes and significant changes were made against Betis.
Source: bbc.com
