AUBAMEYANG bantu ARSENAL julang Piala Komuniti

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a superb goal and netted the winning penalty in a shootout as Arsenal beat Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield at an empty Wembley Stadium.

Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, brought on in stoppage time, hit the crossbar with his penalty - the only one not converted in the shootout.

Aubameyang's curling strike gave FA Cup winners Arsenal the lead in the first half before Liverpool substitute Takumi Minamino equalised after the break.

Minamino's flicked pass to Mohamed Salah bounced back kindly for him to slot home from close range.

There was a quick VAR check for handball by Salah but the replay showed no clear contact.

It is the second year in a row Liverpool have lost on penalties after Manchester City's victory in 2019.

Aubameyang leads Arsenal to move silverware

Aubameyang's importance to Arsenal was once again shown in another impressive performance.

The Gabon international, who scored twice in the FA Cup final at the same stadium this month, cut inside from the left and whipped the ball into the far corner in emphatic style to open the scoring.

He continued to terrorise Liverpool's defence, exposing young right-back Neco Williams.

And when Aubameyang stepped up to take the final penalty, with the score 4-4 in the shootout, there was no way he was going to miss.

He has netted 71 goals in 110 Arsenal appearances and no Gunners player has scored more than his five goals at the venue.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Friday he was "pretty confident" the skipper will sign a new contract after a long, painful wait for supporters.

After lifting their second piece of silverware in a month, it would cap off a very pleasing summer for Arsenal if Aubameyang does eventually put pen to paper.

Stuttering Liverpool fall short again

Liverpool were without regular starters Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson but they fielded a side many would feel were capable of beating Arsenal.

They started off on the front foot, with Sadio Mane getting in behind on numerous occasions on the left and linking up with full-back Andy Robertson.

But sloppiness crept into their game as the first half wore on - Virgil van Dijk berated Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho on separate occasions for giving the ball away too easily in midfield.

Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles was impressive and caused problems, while Bukayo Saka was busy in and around the Liverpool box.

However, Liverpool had plenty of chances to score. An unmarked James Milner headed over the bar, Van Dijk almost got on the end of a Mane flick-on and Roberto Firmino had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Liverpool grew more dominant in the second half - Minamino deservedly drew them level with more than 15 minutes to play - but they could not find a winner.

Arsenal's Joe Willock had a brilliant chance to make it 2-1 with five minutes to go when he miscued his header following Cedric Soares' cross from the right.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp brought off Wijnaldum, who had his penalty saved in last year's shootout by City, and replaced him with 20-year-old Brewster, but the England youth international crashed his spot-kick off the bar.

There is certainly no need to panic but the air of invincibility Liverpool had throughout most of the 2019-20 league campaign has worn off in recent months following a patch of two defeats and a draw in seven games at the end of the season.

'You never get used to winning' - what they said

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to BT Sport: "You never get used to winning. I knew the challenge we faced today against this incredible opponent. Thank you very much to the players for the effort and performance.

"The courage of the team, how aggressive we were without the ball and against the Liverpool press. I am pleased and knew in the second half we would suffer. But in the penalties we had courage to do them right.

"In the last 10 minutes we took the ball and played in the final third. I am pleased how they competed. It creates belief."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, speaking to BT Sport: "We deserved the equaliser and could have scored more but we didn't do that.

"When you play against a formation like this then you need to be really fresh in the final third and you need to force it, create angles. The rhythm for that fell a little bit. Today it was not enough."

Man of the match - Ainsley Maitland-Niles

SEVILLA juara liga Eropah (UEL)

SEVILLA memenangi mahkota Liga Europa buat kali keenam ketika sepakan gunting Diego Carlos terkena kaki Romelu Lukaku untuk gol kemenangan mengatasi Inter Milan, 3-2 dalam aksi final menarik di Cologne.

Wakil Sepanyol itu antara kelab kedua terbanyak memenangi kejuaraan berkenaan berbanding kelab lain.

Dua jaringan menerusi tandukan Luuk De Jong menafikan gol penalti awal Lukaku dan gol penyamaan Diego Godin buat Inter ketika empat gol dihasilkan pada babak pertama.

Penantian 114 tahun Spezia berakhir

KELAB Itali, Spezia berjaya menempah tempat beraksi di Serie A buat kali pertama selepas 114 tahun menunggu apabila berjaya memenangi aksi playoff yang diadakan secara tertutup tapi ribuan penyokong mereka berkumpul di luar stadium.

Pasukan yang dikenali sebagai 'Eagles' berasal dari bandar tepi laut di La Spezia di Liguria, bahagian tenggara Genoa.

Serie A sekarang ini bakal menampilkan tiga kelab dari Liguria, Spezia, Sampdoria dan Genoa.

"Tahniah Spezia, anda mencipta sejarah, sekarang nikmati keseronokan. Jumpa anda nanti," jelas jurulatih Sampdoria, Cludio Ranieri di Twitter.

Walaupun tumpas 1-0 pada aksi kedua di tempat sendiri ketika berdepan Frosinone dan menyaksikan kedudukan agregat terikat 1-1, Spezia layak ke Serie A berdasarkan kedudukan lebih baik berbanding lawan di Serie B.

Mereka menamatkan saingan liga di tangga ketiga, manakala Frosinone yang dilatih pemain antarabangsa Itali, Alessandro Nesta di kedudukan kelapan.

Spezia akan menyertai Benevento dan Crotone ke saingan utama, manakala Leece, Brescia dan SPAL tersingkir ke Serie B menjelang musim baru yang bermula 19 September depan

Maguire serang polis

KETUA pasukan Manchester United, Harry Maguire ditahan di pulau pelancongan di Greece, Mykonos kerana didakwa menyerang dan mengasari pegawai polis.

United dalam satu kenyataan ringkas berkata, mereka mengetahui insiden yang membabitkan Maguire di Mykonos semalam.

"Kita sudah berhubung dengan Harry dan dia memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya dengan polis di Greece.

"Buat masa sekarang kami tidak akan memberi sebarang komen lanjut," jelas kelab berkenaan.

Seorang pegawai polis di Syros, mengesahkan suspek kejadian berkenaan membabitkan tiga lelaki Britain termasuk salah seorang darinya adalah pemain bola sepak namun tidak menyebut nama Maguire.

Menurut pegawai polis berkenaan, empat anggota polis Mykonos mengalami kecederaan ringan selepas pergelutan itu.

Suspek juga dituduh menentang penangkapan, menghina dan mengugut secara lisan pegawai yang menahan mereka.

Pegawai polis itu berkata, polis Mykonos dihubungi untuk meredakan pergaduhan membabitkan dua kumpulan sebelum itu.

Agensi Berita Athens (ANA) berkata, pergaduhan berlaku membabitkan pelancong Britain di luar bar.

ANA mengesahkan antara suspek berkenaan ialah Maguire dan adiknya bersama seorang rakan mereka.

Kata ANA, polis mengarahkan kesemua suspek untuk ke balai polis dengan menggunakan van namun sebaik saja tiba di tempat yang ditujui mereka cuba melarikan diri.

Piala FA umpan Auba kekal

LONDON – Pengurus Arsenal, Mikel Arteta berharap kejua­raan Piala FA yang dimenangi musim ini dapat meyakinkan kapten pasukan, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Auba) untuk menandatangani kontrak baharu dan kekal di Stadium Emirates musim depan.

Sebagai rekod, Aubame­yang muncul wira buat skuad The Gunners apabila meledak dua gol untuk membantu pa­sukan menang trofi Piala FA
dengan menewaskan Chelsea 2-1 di Stadium Wembley awal pagi semalam.

Kata Arteta, tiada perkembangan mengenai perbinca­ngan dengan ejen Aubamenyang mengenai tawaran kontrak baharu buat masa ini kerana kami mahu fokus meraikan kejayaan menjuarai trofi Piala FA buat kali ke-14.

“Saya ada berbincang dengan Aubameyang mengenai kemungkinan untuknya kekal di sini (Arsenal) tetapi ia masih lagi pe­ringkat awal. Buat masa ini, kami mahu fokus meraikan kejayaan menang Piala FA.

“Pasukan sangat berterima kasih dengan apa yang Aubameyang lakukan sepanjang kempen Piala FA musim ini. Saya harap ini adalah permulaan dan Aubameyang akan terus menjadi kapten untuk menjulang trofi buat Arsenal,” katanya.

Mengulas lanjut, Arteta me­ngakui pihak pengurusan perlu berusaha untuk menawarkan kontrak lumayan buat pe­nyerang antarabangsa Gabon itu bagi memastikan dia terus me­mimpin Arsenal untuk tempoh beberapa tahun akan datang.

“Perlawanan yang penting perlukan penyudah pemain berkelas dunia dan Aubameyang telah melakukan perkara tersebut di final dan separuh akhir. Disebabkan itu dia dihormati oleh rakan-rakan sepasukan,” katanya.

Kejayaan Arsenal menang Piala FA telah memberi tiket automatik ke saingan Liga Europa musim depan. – AGENSI