adminDUBLIN. – Petr Cech saved penalties in normal time and in a shoot-out as Arsenal beat his old club Chelsea in the International Champions Cup in Dublin on Wednesday night. The Gunners’ keeper denied Alvaro Morata from the spot in the first half as the Blues dominated, with Antonio Rudiger heading them in front.
Arsenal improved after the break and Alexandre Lacazette equalised with 17 seconds left to earn a shootout.
Both sides scored their first five, but Cech saved from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea side face English Premier League champions Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday in the Community Shield, while Arsenal boss Unai Emery has injury worries before the new season after losing both Aaron Ramsey and Sead Kolasinac. Ramsey, who was listed on the teamsheet to start, suffered a muscle injury in the warm-up and was replaced by 18-year-old Emile Smith Rowe in the starting XI.
Kolasinac appeared to hurt his knee in a challenge with Victor Moses and will have a scan. “We will wait for the medical analysis but we think it’s not a big one,” said Emery. “For Kolasinac it might be different. We will wait for a scan to know better.” Chelsea were far brighter in an open and lively first half at the Aviva Stadium, with teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi at the heart of all of their good work.
His fine run in behind set up Cesc Fabregas for a shot which Cech tipped over, before the Arsenal defence left Rudiger completely free from the following corner to head home from 12 yards. Hudson-Odoi then tricked Hector Bellerin into conceding a penalty with a clumsy challenge, but Morata’s tame effort was easily saved. – BBCSport
Online Reporter