The Arsenal fans were out in full force at StubHub Center on Sunday.
By Ivan Yeo
The good times keep rolling on for Arsenal.
With the start of Premier League action a little less than two weeks away, Arsenal looked at Sunday’s match against Chivas Guadalajara as an opportunity to further sharpen themselves and did just that. Goals from Rob Holding, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Chuba Akpom cared the Gunners to. 3-1 win over the Goats at StubHub Center.
“It was a lively game against a very determined Chivas,” Arsene Wenger said about the match. “Overall, it was interesting for us because we needed to be patient, Chivas started better than us, but after that, we got into the match.”
The result is a welcome one for Arsenal, who will have a tough start to the upcoming season, as they open on August 14 at home against Liverpool before going on the road to Leicester City the following week. Surely Arsenal wasn’t holding anything back against Chivas on Sunday.
Arsenal finally had a chance to put one in the back net. Arsenal was awarded a free kick in the 35th minute, Santi Carzola sent a free kick into the penalty area, and while the set piece was headed towards the end line, Calum Chambers got to the ball just in time to cross a ball into the six yard box and Holding tapped a ball past keeper Antonio Rodriguez into the back net.
“He shows intelligence, composure and high character” Wenger said about Holding. “I’m impressed by his capacity to adapt very quickly to a higher level.”
Arsenal blew the game wide open in the second half. The Gunners pushed across a second goal in a beautiful manner, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dribbled past a Chivas defender’s challenge, then deked out another defender before he fired a shot that beat Rodriguez far post. Goal number three minutes later, as Mathieu Debuchy was sent into the eh penalty box, Debuchy’s cross found the foot of Chuba Akpom, and he sent the ball easily into the back net. Chivas though had some fight in them, as Debuchy fouled Alejandro Zendejas from behind inside the penalty area, referee Kevin Terry Jr awarded Chivas the penalty, which Angel Zaldivar converted in the 74th minute.
Arsenal heads back to Europe to resume its preseason on Friday when they face Norwegian club Viking, followed by its final friendly against Manchester City in Sewden on Sunday.
