ARSENAL beat Lyon in a mid-season friendly 3-0 thanks to a brilliant first-half performance.
Defender Gabriel put the Gunners ahead after 20 minutes against ex-Gunners man Alexandre Lacazette and Co.
Eddie Nketiah made it 2-0 soon after with a tidy finish before Fabio Vieira made it three.
- RESULT: Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
- Arsenal XI: Hein, Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Elneny, Odegaard, Lokonga, Viera, Nelson, Nketiah.
- Lyon XI: Lopes, Henrique, Lukeba, Diomande, Gusto, Caqueret, Aouar, Tolisso, Faivre, Dembele, Lacazette
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Gunners give French lessons
Throughout the 90 minutes today, Arsenal looked capable of scoring every time they came forward against Lyon.
Martin Odegaard was controlling things from the centre of midfield but the performances of Reiss Nelson and Fabio Viera stood out.
Viera managed to get on the scoresheet in the process.
Nketiah did well up top, linking play well and also getting a goal and an assist as he teed up Viera for his wonderstrike.
Gabriel always looked a danger at set pieces and on another day, could have had a hat trick of headers.
Arteta may have some words to say to his players who had the minerals to try a panenka but apart from that this was a good day at the office.
The Gunners will face AC Milan in their next Dubai Super Cup match.
Hein shows Arteta his potential
Quite a few Arsenal players put in good performances this evening but one who will be particularly pleased with his evening is goalkeeper Karl Hein.
The Estonian keeper kept a clean sheet in normal time and commanded his box well at set pieces, often coming to claim corners through a sea of players.
He then stood up to the plate in penalties saving four of Lyon’s spot kicks.
The 20-year-old keeper is certainly one for the future.
Credit: AFP Quirky Dubai Super Cup begins
So Arsenal win the game and the penalty shootout.
Just to give you more insight, this quirky competition will stage a penalty shootout after every game.
This is how the competition works:
- A win is worth three points
- A draw will see each team earn two points
- A penalty shootout will be held after every match, with the winning team earning an extra point
The team with the most points from their two matches will win the competition.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Arsenal win this random penalty shootout as they did the game itself.
Nice gesture by both teams to give the fans more entertainment value.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Rayan Cherki steps up and also tries a panenka.
The keeper stands there and saves it making Cherki look rather silly.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Walters steps up and skies his penalty into orbit.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Barcola steps up and sees his effort saved by Hein.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Cozier-Duberry sees his effort saved by the Lyon keeper in the bottom corner.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Tete’s effort is brilliantly saved by Hein.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Cirjan steps up and tries to panenka it but looks silly as the keeper just stands there and catches it.
Arsenal 2-1 Lyon (PENS)
Thiago Mendes puts it in the bottom corner with Hein going the other way.
Arsenal 2-0 Lyon (PENS)
Matt Smith rolls the ball into the bottom corner, again sending the keeper the wrong way.
Arsenal 1-0 Lyon (PENS)
Reine-Adelaide’s penalty is saved by Hein, diving to his bottom right hand corner.
Arsenal 1-0 Lyon (PENS)
Marquinhos strokes the ball into the bottom corner sending the keeper the wrong way.
FT: Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
There are plenty of Arsenal shirts in the sparse crowd.
Not sure what is going on now, we seem to be having a penalty shootout.
This is bizarre.
FT: Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
The referee brings the game to a close.
Goals from Gabriel, Nketiah and Viera seal a comfortable win.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping to see more of the same from his squad when they return to league action later in the month.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
90. There is nothing really from this game to cause concern for Arteta.
It has been a solid performance in all areas of the pitch from Arsenal.
Given the players still missing, the Spaniard will be pleased.
One minute of added time to be played.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
88. Arsenal will look to manage this game now.
They don’t want to gift away this clean sheet in the closing stages.
Hein has played well today and deserves to top it off with a shutout.
That was a very American term, apologies, blame the World Cup.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
86. Lyon break down the left with Cherki.
He fizzes a ball across the six yard box and it is guided behind for a corner.
Hein comes to collect impressively again.
Credit: Reuters Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
84. Credit where it is due to the youngsters who have come on.
They have tried to continue where the first string left off.
Utilising the wide areas to stretch the Lyon defensive lines.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
82. Lyon come forward once again, desperate to find at least a consolation goal.
Since the nine changes, they seem to be getting more joy.
Cherki tries his luck again from a tight angle but Hein is equal to it.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
80. Arsenal work a good ball in from the left.
So inviting for someone to stroke it home but Lyon are first to it and walk the ball out.
Arsenal rattle the post again but the follow up is well saved by Bonnevie at the expense of a corner.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
78. We are now into the final quarter of the game.
The Gunners would probably take this scoreline now.
Three goals and a clean sheet seems like a good day in the office.
Credit: AFP Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
76. Both sides take a drinks break.
Debatable if those nine Arsenal subs have even had time to break a sweat yet let alone needing extra fluids.
Bonnevie comes on goal for Lyon for the remainder of the game.
Arsenal 3-0 Lyon
74. The ball is worked out towards the Lyon left flank.
Cherki picks it up and cuts inside to shoot.
His effort was heading into the bottom corner until Hein managed to tip it around the post for a corner.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
