Calafiori scores record 24-second goal as Arsenal faces Man City in Cardiff

Additions of Guimarães and Tzolis, plus re-emergence of Ødegaard, mean champions start clear favourites after Community Shield win If this was a glimpse of the Premier League’s new order then the rest had better watch out. By the time Martin Ødegaard sat Gianluigi Donnarumma down to make it 3-0 to the champions, the Arsenal party was in full swing. “Can we play you every week?” their supporters gleefully taunted their counterparts in sky blue. Those in red and white who had made the journey to south Wales could barely believe what they were watching, even if winning the Community Shield is unlikely to spark the same kind of celebrations that were seen on the streets of north London in May after ending a 22-year wait to win the title. Having been forced to settle for three successive second-place finishes before finally reaching the summit, this time it was Manchester City’s fans who had to face the reality of being humbled by their closest rivals. As Viktor Gyökeres had put it beforehand: “Against City? In a friendly? We want to win.” That much was clear from the opening whistle at the Principality Stadium. Continue reading...

Arsenal 3-0 Manchester City: The Gunners won the Community Shield giving Mikel Arteta an early-season triumph while condemning new City boss Enzo Maresca to defeat in his first game in charge

For Enzo Maresca, a miserable first competitive game in charge of Manchester City that began with Arsenal seizing the lead after 24.5 seconds ended with Mikel Arteta’s side lifting the Community Shield. Arsenal eviscerated City, Riccardo Calafiori’s smart opener after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s brilliant pass seemingly leaving their opponents with irrecoverable damage. Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead on 28 minutes and Martin Ødegaard in effect sealed the win three minutes into the second half, fooling Gianluigi Donnarumma in the City goal before finishing. On this evidence, the post-Pep era could be trickier than widely envisaged. Calafiori’s early strike in Cardiff provided the perfect tonic for Arsenal to continue the party atmosphere that electrified their Premier League title parade across north London at the end of May. The importance of this victory will be debated but by winning this competition, back at the Principality Stadium for the first time since 2006 owing to The Weeknd’s gig at Wembley, they have put down an impressive marker as they look to build on last season’s success. City, without Rodri amid doubts over his future, lacked any semblance of control. The England midfielder Elliot Anderson struggled on his competitive debut after his £116m move from Nottingham Forest. Continue reading...

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium on Sunday.They broke the deadlock inside 23 seconds. Myles Lewis-Skelly played Riccardo Calafiori in behind, with t...

Riccardo Calafiori has broken the record for the fastest goal ever scored in the Community Shield.Calafiori opened the scoring forArsenal against Manchester City after just 24 seconds at the Principal...