Despite a bit of a defensively dodgy first half, Arsenal managed to romp to a comfortable win over Benfica in the Emirates Cup.
The scoreline might be a bit deception considering, despite being the better team, the Gunners tried their best to gift Benfica the win.
Arsenal went close within minutes after Olivier Giroud picked up a pass from Theo Walcott. However, Benfica goalkeeper, Júlio César, somehow managed to make the first save of the game.
Despite the hosts looking the strongest, Arsenal wouldn’t be Arsenal without an embarrassing moment of stupidity.
Per Mertesacker scored an own goal after watching the ball bounce between his legs, allowing Benfica to take the lead early on.
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Even though the Portuguese champions were ahead, Arsenal continued to play the better football, with young Reiss Nelson impressing again.
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After probing away for 20 minutes, Arsenal finally equalised with a thumping right-footed volley from Theo Walcott. However, it was all about newbie, Sead Kolasiac, who out-muscled several players and dinked the ball over to the forward for his assist.
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Theo could have doubled Arsenal’s lead minutes later as he used his lightning-speed to break. However, as he so often does, he slowed himself down, got fouled just outside the penalty box, and then thumped the ball into the Benfica wall.
The Gunners’ second goal came from Theo after some more great play from Kolasinac and an assist from Francis Coquelin. Coq was then subbed off injured.
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Benfica then scored another. Well, Arsenal scored another FOR Benfica after some terrible defending.
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Being the odd game that it was, minutes after coming out after the break, Arsenal went 3-2 ahead through an own goal.
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Benfica continued to give Arsenal plenty of space.
Theo, who was on a hat-trick, smacked a superb ball from Olivier Giroud skyward despite having a good game so far.
https://twitter.com/DailyCannon/status/891336272480002048
Nelson and Kolasinac continued to be the two Arsenal players impressing fans the most and sure enough it was Nelson who assisted Arsenal’s fourth from Giroud.
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Arsenal then continued to run rampant, going 5-2 ahead through Alex Iwobi, who’d been pretty quiet so far. Again, it was brilliant play in and around the box from Kolasinac and an assist from Giroud.
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