…Arsenal 3-0 Man City…
LONDON-(MaraviPost)-The Premier League champions Arsenal produced a statement win over rivals Manchester City to lift the 2026 Community Shield in Cardiff.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead after just 23 seconds when Myles Lewis-Skelly slipped in Riccardo Calafiori, who slotted an effort past Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Arsenal then doubled their lead in the 28th minute through Kai Havertz’s downward header after summer signing Christos Tzolis had nodded Martin Odegaard’s cross back across goal.
Three minutes into the second half, Tzolis found Odegaard in the City box and the Norwegian forced Donnarumma to the floor with an excellent fake shot before passing the ball into the opposite corner.
The Gunners’ victory over the FA Cup holders gave them their second trophy in four months and their 18th Community Shield title overall.
The match was played at Principality Stadium while Wembley hosts Canadian singer The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours til Dawn’ tour.
What did you make of Man City’s display?
Arsenal find solace in Tzolis: With two assists, Greek forward Tzolis starred on the left side of Arsenal’s attack.
The 24-year-old was directly involved in a league-high 40 goals for Club Brugge last season, scoring 17 times and providing 23 assists
Tzolis, who cost Arsenal £34m this summer, is back in England having made 30 appearances for Norwich between 2021 and 2024.
New team-mate Bruno Guimaraes also started Arsenal’s win but had a quieter game at the base of the Gunners’ midfield.
Lewis-Skelly was another player who impressed by setting up Arsenal’s first amid transfer links to Chelsea and Manchester United.
Odegaard had an effort cleared off the line by Josko Gvardiol just before half-time, while second-half substitute Bukayo Saka blasted an effort over from a good position late on.
Man City’s post-Guardiola era starts with loss
Manchester City were playing their first competitive game without Pep Guardiola as their manager in over 10 years, since Manuel Pellegrini oversaw a 1-1 draw with Swansea in May, 2016.
New manager Enzo Maresca gave £116m signing Elliot Anderson his competitive City debut and started Phil Foden, who had been out of favour under Guardiola last season.
Jack Grealish also came on in the second half for his first City appearance in 15 months.
City were unable to match Arsenal’s physicality but did test goalkeeper David Raya numerous times, with the Spaniard doing well to keep out low, driven shots from Foden and Antoine Semenyo.
Their defeat was the biggest in the Community Shield since 2014, when Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal also beat Pellegrini’s City 3-0.
Source: BBC Sport
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