Arsenal have it all to do if they are to retain their grip on the Emirates Cup.
A 1-0 loss to Juventus means they must heavily defeat Real Madrid on Sunday or hope for a kind result in tournament’s other tie in order to win their ‘home’ competition.
On Saturday, David Trezeguet’s 38th-minute strike was enough to consign Arsène Wenger’s side to only their second defeat at Emirates Stadium. Replays suggested the French striker was offside when he slid in a free-kick from Vicenzo Iaquinta but that will be scant comfort for the Arsenal manager, whose side went close on a number of occasions through Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor.
They cannot afford to be so profligate on Sunday. The rules of the Emirates Cup give three points for a win, one for a draw and one for each goal scored.
So the hosts will have to go for the jugular against Real if they are to keep the trophy at the stadium that bears its name.
The side chosen by Wenger on Saturday reflected his desire to balance the workload on his squad over the weekend.
Against Juventus, the Frenchman started with young players and those who had come back to pre-season training at the earliest stage. The later arrivals and more senior stars were left on the bench, though the manager did say they were likely to start on Sunday.
Carlos Vela, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey were making their debuts at Emirates Stadium in an Arsenal shirt while Kieran Gibbs, who starred at the inaugural competition 12 months ago, began at left back.
Juventus had most of their big names on show. Pavel Nedved, Gianluigi Buffon, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Momo Sissoko, Zdenek Grygera and Trezeguet all started. Alessandro De Piero, Mauro Camoranesi and Hasan Salihamidzic were on the bench.
While these games are always high quality, they are likely to lack the cutting edge of top class competition. That’s why Mexican waves were already going around Emirates Stadium before Wilshere tested Buffon at his near post in the 12th minute.
On the quarter-hour Vela was fouled just outside the area and Bendtner hoisted his free-kick high over the bar. Sissoko stumbled a long-range effort wide to register Juve’s first effort in the 22nd minute but it would be followed by two more clear-cut efforts from Arsenal. First Bendtner sent a snap-shot high then Ramsey’s drive was kicked away by Buffon.
Trezeguet’s near-post flick extended Lukasz Fabianski at the near post as the game started to find some sort of rhythm.
In the 33rd minute Juve had the ball in the net when Trezeguet nodded home a Nedved’s cross. However the offside flag was early and correct.
That was not the case five minutes later when Iaquinta fired in a low free-kick and the Frenchman slid the ball in at the far post. Replays showed the goal should have been disallowed for offside.
It might have been 2-0 three minutes before the break but Philippe Senderos whipped the ball away from Marco Marchionni as he darted through the centre.
Wenger made changes during the interval. Abou Diaby, Adebayor and William Gallas all gave the home side more of a ‘first-team’ look.
Bendtner nodded over in the opening seconds but Cristian Molinaro responded by thumping a drive into the chest of Fabianski.
The changes gave Arsenal more impetus and the game started flowing from end to end. Justin Hoyte hoisted his cross just too high after a sweeping move and Eboue blasted wide. But, in between those efforts, Johan Djourou made a couple of crucial interceptions as Juve pressured.
Just before the hour, Wenger introduced Theo Walcott, Bacary Sagna and debutant Samir Nasri. The impetus and urgency was firmly with Arsenal now and there were echoes of last season’s fluency when Sagna floated over a cross for Adebayor to thunder in a header. Buffon held on to the ball just under the bar.
As the final quarter approached, Arsenal were searching more frantically for an equaliser. Even though it was a friendly you sensed they wanted to retain their proud record of only one defeat in two seasons at Emirates Stadium.
Bendtner’s surprise drive from the right-hand byline was punched away by a startled Buffon.
However Salihamidzic nearly made the game safe for Juve in the final stages before Adebayor volleyed over.
Arsenal’s last chance was used up in injury time when the Togolese striker curled an effort just past Buffon’s left-hand post.
Arsenal:
Lukasz Fabianski Philippe Senderos William Gallas 46 Justin Hoyte Bacary Sagna 60 Johan Djourou Emmanuel Eboue Samir Nasri 60 Denilson Kieran Gibbs Aaron Ramsey Abou Diaby 46 Jack Wilshere Theo Walcott 60 Carlos Vela Emmanuel Adebayor 46 Nicklas Bendtner
Subs not used:
Manuel Almunia Gael Clichy Gavin Hoyte Henri Lansbury Mark Randall
Juventus:
Gianluigi Buffon Olof Mellberg Zdenek Grygera Giorgio Chiellini Cristian Molinaro Pavel Nedved Hasan Salihamidzic 61 Marco Marchionni Christian Poulsen 77 Mohamed Sissoko Rossi 82 Tiago Albin Ekdal 77 Vincenzo Iaquinta Carvalho De Oliveira Amauri 69 David Trezeguet Mauro German Camoranesi 69
Subs not used:
Nicola Legrottaglie Jonathan Zebina Lorenzo Ariaudo Alessandro Del Piero
Referee
Peter Walton
Arsenaln 0
Juventus 1 Trezeguet 38
Naslov komentara: Emirates Cup: Arsenal 0-1 Juventus 
Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:20 am
