LONDON, United Kingdom — Arsenal concluded their pre-season preparations with a penalty shootout victory over Como 1907 after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners eventually prevailed 4-3 on penalties, with goalkeeper David Raya emerging as the decisive figure after saving two spot-kicks to secure victory for Mikel Arteta’s side. 0
Arsenal took the lead through Myles Lewis-Skelly, who capitalised on an error to put the hosts ahead in the first half. Como responded before the interval through Martin Baturina, ensuring the contest remained level after 90 minutes. 1
With neither side able to find a winning goal in normal play, the friendly was settled through a penalty shootout. Arsenal held their nerve from the spot, while Raya’s saves provided the crucial difference as the London club secured a 4-3 victory.
The match also provided an opportunity for Arsenal’s new signing Bruno Guimarães to make his debut in front of the home supporters. His appearance added further interest to a final pre-season outing in which Arteta continued to assess his squad ahead of the new campaign. 2
Although the result was officially decided by penalties, the 1-1 scoreline after regulation time offered Arsenal another competitive test before the start of their domestic campaign. Lewis-Skelly’s goal was a positive moment for the young defender, while the performance of Raya reinforced the goalkeeper’s importance to the team.
For Como, the draw in normal time represented a strong showing against one of England’s leading clubs, although the Italian side ultimately fell short during the shootout.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to competitive football after completing their pre-season schedule. The victory gives Arteta’s squad a confidence boost and provides the team with momentum heading into the new season.
For Raya, however, the final pre-season fixture will be remembered particularly for his decisive contribution. His two penalty saves ensured Arsenal finished their preparations with a victory and gave the Emirates crowd a dramatic conclusion to the club’s build-up for the new campaign.
