Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham: Sarr scores halfway chip, Gyökeres subs on for debut

TOTTENHAM spoiled Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres party thanks to a 45-YARD screamer from Pape Matar Sarr in the very first overseas North London Derby.

Match Report

The Gunners handed a long-awaited debut to their £63.5m marquee summer signing in the 77th minute during the final outing of their Asia tour.

But by then, Mikel Arteta’s men were already desperate for a winner in Hong Kong – trailing to a stunning Sarr opener on the brink of half-time that left Arsenal’s players and coaching staff fuming.

Myles Lewis-Skelly looked to have been clearly fouled by Richarlison just inside Arsenal’s half, but the referee waved it away, allowing Sarr to notice David Raya was way off his line and lob into an empty net.

Arteta was raging in the technical area, sarcastically clapping the fourth official. Assistant Gabriel Heinze also had harsh words for the officials while Lewis-Skelly and skipper Martin Odegaard angrily gestured to the ref as they came off the pitch at half-time.

Frustrations came close to boiling over as Arteta had a mini-shoving match with Pedro Porro over a throw-in near the Arsenal dugout, but Thomas Frank’s Spurs held on for a morale-boosting victory ahead of the new season.

Gyokeres barely got a sniff with Arsenal struggling to test Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario in both halves, and there was more bad news for Arteta as second-half sub Leandro Trossard limped off with a muscular injury after just 15 minutes of action.

New signing Kepa Arrizabalaga was also missing from the Arsenal squad, reportedly due to an injury also.

The atmosphere before kick-off was electric inside the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium – with a record 49,975 inside – and it carried on throughout an intense and entertaining first half, one that could have been mistaken for a Premier League clash.

Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice had spent the end of their open training on Wednesday night rehearsing corner routines with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

And they earned several chances to put it into practice in the opening few minutes as William Saliba headed just wide from one delivery.

With Gyokeres in mind, Arteta is likely to go more direct from back to front with the ball this season, and this was on show too with Raya going long to pick out Gabriel Martinelli through the middle only for Kai Havertz to dither in the box and waste an opportunity to shoot.

The German’s blushes were spared as the offside flag finally went up – to Frank’s dismay – but you have to imagine Gyokeres would have hit that first time given the same chance…

Spurs battled their way back into the game, ironically through set-pieces. Ex-boss Ange Postecoglou refused to put any emphasis on them, in attack or defence, during his reign.

But Frank – after huge success with Brentford from dead-ball situations – has done the opposite, and it is already paying off as Pedro Porro’s corner went all the way through to hit the far post with Raya blocked off in the box.

Arteta’s Arsenal were being given a taste of their own medicine, and it happened again in the 28th minute, only for Richarlison to somehow fail to tap it in from less than a yard out and with an open goal gaping, looping it over the bar with an out-stretched arm.

Just before that, Jakub Kiwior had lost an aerial duel to Richarlison allowing Wilson Odobert to drive forward and strike Raya’s right-hand post with a low shot.

Three times Arsenal’s woodwork had been struck, twice from corners. Not for the first time, Frank was getting one over Arteta, leaving the Spaniard in a fidgety, agitated mood in his technical area, pointing fingers and screaming at any official he could lay his hands on.

That anger turned to utter disbelief just before the break as Spurs took the lead in controversial yet spectacular circumstances through Sarr’s instinctive punt.

To the surprise of pretty much everyone, Arteta made no changes at the break, keeping faith with his frustrated starting XI and keeping Gyokeres bibbed up, patiently waiting.

Arsenal started the second like they did the first: on top but without really creating any chances or worrying Guglielmo Vicario.

Havertz had little to no service, but was not holding the ball up well enough either.

In the 68th minute, with Gyokeres still waiting, Norgaard and Martinelli were subbed off for Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi – the latter firing a deflected volley onto the roof of the net seconds after coming on.

A flurry of openings followed. Havertz cut inside and fired one straight at Vicario and Odegaard should have hit the target with a Ben White cut-back.

But enough was enough with 13 minutes of normal time remaining. On came Gyokeres, as well as 15-year-old Max Dowman, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Cristhian Mosquera.

Not that it made much difference. Just like last season, Arsenal struggled to break down a low block, and Frank proved yet again he more often than not has Arteta’s number.

 Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

0' Viktor Gyökeres is coming!

4' Arsenal close to scoring the first goal

8' Kai Havertz goes down and is asking for a penalty... not given!

10' Tottenham hits the post! They almost score an Olympic goal!

22' Havertz and Van de Ven clash in a fierce 50-50 challenge!

28' Tottenham close again!!

29' Richarlison misses an absolute sitter — how did that not go in?

36' Yellow Card! Bentancur booked

45' Sarr scores an absolute worldie from halfway ! Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham

56' Odegaard's shot stopped by defender

58' Martinelli's shot flies to sky

60' Highlight from Arsenal vs Tottenham

62' Substitution for Hotspur

66' Van de Ven misses a big chance

67' Substitution for Arsenal

68' Highlight from Arsenal vs Tottenham

75' Bukayo Saka receives treatment after a heavy challenge

84' Another change in the side,Trossard out, Nelson in

Line-ups

Arsenal XI: Christian Nørgaard, David Raya, Ødegaard, Rice, Havertz, Ben White, Martinelli, Saliba, Saka, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly

Subs: Trossard, Zinchenko, Merino, Viktor Gyökeres, Nelson, Martín Zubimendi, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Cristhian Mosquera, Tommy Setford, Nwaneri, Alexéi Rojas, Louie Copley, Ismeal Kabia, Josh Nichols, Max Dowman, Marli Salmon, Andre Harriman-Annous

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Bentancur, Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Mohammed Kudus, Spence, Porro, Pape Sarr, Van de Ven, Odobert, Bergvall

Subs: Son, Ben Davies, Maddison, Danso, Bissouma, Austin, Brennan Johnson, Kinsky, Tel, Gray, George Abbott, Jamie Donley, Luka Vuskovic, Yang