Arsenal’s pre-season campaign progressed successfully this evening with a commanding 4-1 victory over German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Mikel Arteta fielded a largely familiar lineup, with new acquisition Riccardo Calafiori missing from the squad as he works on his pre-season fitness, alongside injured players Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The match began with both teams displaying some early-season rust, but Arsenal quickly found their rhythm. In the 8th minute, they took the lead following a well-executed play down the left flank, where Kai Havertz created space.
His cutback was cleverly dummied by Martin Odegaard, allowing Oleksandr Zinchenko to strike a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, making it 1-0.
Just a minute later, Arsenal doubled their advantage. Leandro Trossard intercepted a pass from the Leverkusen goalkeeper, and after a clever flick involving Odegaard and Havertz, Trossard turned the defender and finished into the net, bringing the score to 2-0.
The Gunners displayed a vibrant performance, contrasting sharply with the subdued efforts of the German champions. Arteta’s team found considerable success on the left flank, with Trossard consistently exploiting space.
In the 25th minute, the Belgian nearly scored his second goal, unleashing a long-range shot that the goalkeeper managed to deflect around the post. Shortly after, a header from Zinchenko created a moment of concern for the opposition.
Xabi Alonso’s squad posed minimal threat, and their situation worsened in the 38th minute. Gabriel Jesus collected the ball near the halfway line, surged down the left, and cut inside to unleash a shot from outside the penalty area that the goalkeeper should have handled better.
Nonetheless, the Brazilian has shown impressive form during pre-season, and this goal will serve as a valuable confidence boost. The score stood at 3-0.
Leverkusen could only muster a few blocked shots in the first half, with one attempt on target just before the whistle, but it was a feeble effort that failed to trouble David Raya.
At halftime, Mikel Arteta made four substitutions, bringing on Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, and Declan Rice in place of Zinchenko, Vieira, Jesus, and Saliba.
The visitors initiated the second half with a shot from former Arsenal Academy player Nathan Tella, but once again, it posed little threat to Raya.
Leverkusen’s most significant opportunity arose in the 60th minute, once again for Tella, whose first-time shot narrowly missed the target. This led Alonso to implement several substitutions, the specifics of which are not particularly noteworthy.
Concurrently, Jorginho and Martin Odegaard were substituted for Ethan Nwaneri and Thomas Partey.
The 17-year-old made an immediate impact, advancing the ball to Saka, who skillfully maneuvered past the full-back to deliver a cross into the penalty area.
A defender intervened but could only redirect the ball to Havertz, who capitalized on the chance and scored from close range, making it 4-0.
Rice attempted a long-range shot but missed the target, prompting Arteta to make further substitutions, bringing on Ayden Heaven, Josh Nichols, and Eddie Nketiah for Gabriel, White, and Havertz.
The crowd engaged in a Mexican wave, and with the numerous changes, the game became somewhat disorganized.
Leverkusen managed to score in the 75th minute through Adam Hlozek, whose delicate finish slipped past Raya after he evaded Kiwior. The score was now 4-1.
Granit Xhaka exited in the 80th minute, sharing a hug with his former manager, while Gabriel Martinelli replaced Trossard.
In the closing moments, the more seasoned Leverkusen team appeared to gain the upper hand, although the Gunners had a few opportunities to create chances.
Ultimately, it was a positive evening, leaving Mikel Arteta with much to be satisfied about as they prepare for Sunday’s friendly against Lyon.
