ARSENAL kick start their pre-season preparations with a friendly today against Premier League rivals Bournemouth in the USA.
Mikel Arteta’s side returned to training this week ahead of flying across the pond on Sunday for their American tour, and the Cherries represent their first task.
- Kick-off time: 3.30am BST
- Steam/TV: Arsenal.com
- Arsenal XI: Hein, Timber, White, Heaven, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Salah, Nwaneri, Vieira, Nelson, Nketiah
- Bournemouth XI: Neto, Aarons, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Scott, Cook, Tavernier, Faivre, Anthony, Solanke
GOAL BOURNEMOUTH!
Semenyo equalises via a wicked deflection!
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
71. The set piece comes to nothing.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
CLOSE!
71. Odegaard strikes from 30 yards from that free kick and Neto at full stretch dives across to tip it wide.
Some effort. Corner to the Arsenal.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
70. Cook – who had a bit of a run-in with with Nketiah when he was on – sends Jesus flying with a tackle.
It’s the latest in a few meaty challenges in this second period.
The pair come together and Cook gives the Brazilian a slap as if to say ‘apologies, come on’. The referee shows him a yellow card.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
68. Another huge Bournemouth chance, another tremendous save from Hein!
Jebbison receives a clever forward pass and his tidy flick forces Rekik to slip at the crucial time.
Quattara is clean through and strikes from the edge of the box but Hein stays big and makes a big save!
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
64. Dominic Solanke’s evening is over. He’s one of three Bournemouth changes.
- OFF: Faivre, Scott & Solanke
- ON: Billing, Jebbison & Christie
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
63. Mikel Arteta makes seven changes as we hit the hour-mark in California.
Among them, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Jorginho come on.
- OFF: Partey, Timber, Nketiah, Vieira, Nelson, Heaven, Lewis-Skelly
- ON: Jorginho, Zinchenko, Rekik, Sagoe JR, Kiwior, Jesus, Trossard
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
61. Great play from Quattara to get to the byline down the right and he clips a clever ball into the box.
Vieira retreats to volley it clear away from the three Bournemouth men in the box.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
60. Bournemouth have stepped it up a bit here. Solanke receives a pass on the edge of the box and manages to evade two challenges before striking at goal.
It flies a yard over, he’ll be disappointed with that.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
57. Good build-up from Bournemouth.
It’s worked down the right and Quattara beats Lewis-Skelly in a race to retrieve it.
He cuts inside and tries to bend a shot beyond Hein but the keeper claims comfortably.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
54. Odegaard’s attempted cross is deflected towards goal but Neto comes off his line to claim.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
53. Lunging tackle on halfway by Timber on Kerkez.
It doesn’t look like he catches the Bournemouth man, who flies into the air but it was a bit wild.
He picks up a yellow card.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
50. The referee stops the delivery coming in, having to speak to White a couple of times.
As is maybe predictable, he blows for a free kick as the ball heads into the area.
But Neto is absolutely raging at White, who challenged for the ball as it came into the area. He’s on the edge of his area pointing furiously in White’s direction who trudges back to halfway.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
49. Arsenal win a corner after Odegaard’s first involvement sees the Gunners almost in behind.
Nelson heads over for the in-swinging delivery.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
47. Immediate chance to level for Bournemouth!
Solanke brings the ball down on his chest really well on the edge of Arsenal’s box. He feeds Faivre on the right who is coming in on his left foot, looking to curl into the far corner.
But it’s tame and straight at Hein. Solanke not happy not receiving the return pass.
Half time subs
Martin Odegaard replaces Salah for Arsenal and takes the captain armband.
Bournemouth with a triple change:
- OFF: Tavernier, Anthony & Aarons
- ON: Semenyo, Smith & Quattara
Back underway
The second half is underway as both sides go to their bench.
News of those changes to come.
Players emerging
The Bournemouth players are out first for this second half.
A quick couple of shuttle runs to get the legs moving for the second period.
Arsenal follow a couple of minutes later – and it looks like Martin Odegaard will join the action.
Reminder
No matter what plays out in this second period, we’ll finish the game with a penalty shoot-out!
Gunners ahead at the break
A youthful Arsenal side lead Bournemouth by a goal to nil at the interval.
The goal coming after 18 minutes, with more good play from Reiss Nelson down the left. He stood a cross up with his left foot to the back post where Fabio Vieira came in and volleyed expertly, low and hard into the bottom corner.
Eddie Nketiah had another couple of opportunities for the captain for the night hasn’t really trouble Neto in the Bournemouth goal.
Dominic Solanke came closest for the Cherries. He had a shot blocked just after the opening goal.
But his best chance came after a high press and when receiving the ball inside the area, he sent Lewis-Skelly with a sublime turn before smashing at goal, only to see it smashing the bar and bouncing away.
Hein in the Arsenal goal getting a slight touch to that in what turned out to be a stunning save.
Chances at both ends though and played at a real pace.
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
The referee brings the first half to a close in Los Angeles.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
45+1. Free kick to Bournemouth on the left, arounf 35 yards from goal.
A final chance to load the box in this half as Cook’s delivery is headed clear by Timber.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
44. Solanke is adjudged to have fouled Lewis-Skelly from that delivery.
One minute added.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
43. Great centre forward play from Solanke which almost brings the equaliser!
He is on the shoulder and collects a ball over the top on the left side of the area.
Solanke holds it up well and then slides in Kerkez making the underlapping run. His cross almost finds one of the three darting Bournemouth attackers in the middle but Timber is there to nod it behind for a corner.
Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
41. Cracking run from Timber, through the heart of the Bournemouth team.
A glimpse of what to expect this season…
He feeds Nketiah on the edge of the box, who works the ball onto his right foot and fires low and hard at goal which Neto collects down to his left.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk