FILE PHOTO: Arsenal players celebrate after scoring a goal against the MLS All-Stars at Audi Field. PICTURE: Getty Images
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0 WASHINGTON: Trossard took not 20 minutes to then double that scoreline with a cracking strike on the edge of the box.
Mikel Arteta’s side showed no signs of a losing Premier League title race hangover and started their pre-season in the best possible way. Arsenal barely got out of third gear to beat Wayne Rooney’s MLS All-Stars in the opening game of their United States pre-season tour.
Mikel Arteta’s side took only five minutes to get their tour up and running with a superb Gabriel Jesus chip over the goalkeeper. Leandro Trossard took not 20 minutes to then double that scoreline with a cracking strike on the edge of the box.
Arteta brought on Karl Hein, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard at half-time and no sooner had the whistle been blown to start the second half, the referee had blown it again to give the Gunners a penalty. Jorginho coolly slotted it home
And then came the moment Arsenal fans had been waiting for: Declan Rice’s debut. Introduced at 65 minutes, the most expensive footballer in British history came on to a great reception.
Gabriel Martinelli added a fourth by coolly slotting in the far corner, after racing on to a perfectly weighted Odegaard pass. And Kai Havertz then wrapped up the friendly for Arsenal by smashing home a fifth in the dying minutes.
Arsenal starting XI: Ramsdale (Hein ’46); White, Saliba (Timber ’64), Gabriel (Tomiyasu ’65), Kiwior (Tierney ’64); Vieira (Marquinhos ’65), Jorginho (Rice ’65), Trossard (Martinelli ’56); Saka (Havertz ’46), Jesus (Balogun ’65), Nketiah (Odegaard ’46)
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