Arsenal triumphs in preseason finale

Arsenal concluded their preseason preparations with a commanding 2-0 victory over Lyon, capturing their eighth Emirates Cup on Sunday afternoon. The match saw goals from William Saliba and Gabriel, both capitalizing on pinpoint corners delivered by Declan Rice, marking a confident end to their warm-up campaign ahead of the new season.

Early dominance pays off

The Gunners took control from the outset, pressing Lyon high and creating early chances. Gabriel Martinelli’s cross found Bukayo Saka in the box, whose header forced a save from Lyon’s keeper Lucas Perri. However, it was clear that Arsenal's pressure would soon yield results. In the ninth minute, Martin Odegaard’s relentless pressing forced Maxence Caqueret into a mistake, allowing Arsenal to win a corner. Declan Rice stepped up to deliver a perfect cross, which found William Saliba, who headed the ball past Perri to give Arsenal an early lead.

Arsenal continued to assert their dominance. Oleksandr Zinchenko's accurate cross found Saka once more, but the young winger’s header just missed the target. Not long after, Rice tested Perri with a long-range shot, but it was comfortably saved. The breakthrough came again in the 27th minute when another Rice corner found Gabriel at the far post, and the Brazilian defender made no mistake in doubling the lead.

Relentless Pursuit of Goals

Despite a two-goal cushion, Arsenal remained aggressive in their search for more goals. Early in the second half, the Gunners nearly extended their lead when Martinelli found Odegaard, whose curling effort was tipped wide by Perri. From the resulting corner, Rice saw his shot blocked, and Thomas Partey’s follow-up narrowly missed the bottom corner. Kai Havertz, integrating well into the squad, was instrumental in several attacking moves. One of the best chances of the half came when Saka's header, following another Zinchenko cross, struck the post, denying Arsenal a third goal.

Defensive solidity shuts down Lyon

On the rare occasions that Lyon threatened, Arsenal’s defense held firm. Said Benrahma had a rare opportunity from distance but couldn’t find the target. As the match progressed, Mikel Arteta introduced a wave of substitutions, including the debut of Riccardo Calafiori and the return of Gabriel Jesus, ensuring the team maintained its energy and control. Late in the game, Lyon had their best chance to pull one back when Ernest Nuamah broke through on goal. However, Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya was up to the task, parrying the shot over the bar to preserve the clean sheet.

Eyes on the Premier League

With a successful preseason behind them, Arsenal now shifts focus to the Premier League, where they will kick off their campaign at home against Wolves on Saturday, August 17. The Gunners will be eager to carry their preseason form into the league and start the season on a high note.