Barcelona and Arsenal went toe-to-toe in two action-packed halves, totaling four goals in each in front of a raucous crowd.
2023 Club Friendlies
5-3
Match Report
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in a chaotic first 45, with a typically predatory tap-in at the expense of Gunners keeper, Aaron Ramsdale, in the seventh minute.
Raphinha profited from a bursting, mazy run from Abde Ezzalzouli but his shot was brilliantly saved by the keeper. No matter, with the Polish fox in the box there to poke home nonchalantly.
Six minutes later, parity was restored in the form of Bukayo Saka. The England dynamo keep his feet moving to pounce on a sloppy touch from Andreas Christensen, who looked like he had concrete inside his Adidas', before lifting it above Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Saka then had the chance to double his total after Arsenal received a 21st minute penalty following a handball foul from Ronald Araujo but his effort went wide right, leaving the Londoner curled over in dismay.
His anguish would've been further felt when Raphinha who received some help from the Arsenal wall en route to wrongfooting Ramsdale.
The Brazilian's whipped ball into the box was sent in the opposing direction after cannoning off Odegaard, who had turned his body amid the threat of contact.
A level of spice beyond the attacking flurry was born out of Araujo's frustration. A more physical friendly was intensified with a full-blooded challenge on Havertz, before blasting the ball away once a foul was given.
For the second time on the night, Barca could only head its lead for a matter of minutes, nine specifically. Saka, who had caused concern down the flank, from a Blaugrana perspective.
Arsenal's starboy was found in space down the right thanks to the rapid thinking of Thomas Party, where he ran at Christensen sending the Dane tumbling before a lofted ball to Odegaard inside the area.
The Norwegian's flicked header was met by an attentive shin of Kai Havertz on 43 minutes -- making it multiple goals on his debut summer tour with the North London club.
Despite it being 2-2 at half-time, Arsenal would have been justified in feeling aggrieved at the score-line equality. In the end, Mikel Arteta's side made it right.
Pitch problems and notorious L.A. traffic delayed the game by 36 minutes but by the end, time was an irrelevance; 90 minutes which felt like a matter of moments -- for Arsenal fans, at least.
Leandro Trossard showed his indisputable quality, firing a left-footed laser along the SoFi grass and inches inside the far post to give Arsenal a 3-2 lead -- its first -- on 55 minutes.
Before Barcelona could answer, the Belgian had added a second by way of a piercing cross from Kieran Tierney. Once celebrations had been and gone, Trossard was substituted signaling an end to his night.
While Trossard's 78th minute second could have vanquished hopes of a Barcelona comeback, Ferran Torres made sure to set up a finish befitting of the passionate 70,223 packed into the house which Stan built.
Fittingly, in front of its occasionally-beloved owner, Arsenal streaked ahead again - behind the sheer force of a Gabriel Martinelli curler from outside the box in the final seconds.
The 5-3 score did not flatter Arsenal but Barcelona had its chances to turn the tide long before the final whistle. Ousmane Dembele looked Barcelona's biggest threat of the second half and came within a post of making it 3-3 before Trossard made him pay.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
7' GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Barcelona (Lewandowski)
13' GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Barcelona (Saka)
21' Penalty Missed! (Saka)
27' Yellow Card! Trossard booked
34' GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Barcelona (Raphinha)
37' Yellow Card! Ronald Araújo booked
43' GOAL! Arsenal 2-2 Barcelona (Havertz)
51' Saka's shot over the bar
55' GOAL! Arsenal 3-2 Barcelona (Trossard)
78' GOAL! Arsenal 4-2 Barcelona (Trossard)
79' Balde hits the bar
88' GOAL! Arsenal 4-3 Barcelona (Ferran Torres)
89' GOAL! Arsenal 5-3 Barcelona (Fábio Vieira)
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Trossard, Partey, Martin Ødegaard, Jesus, Gabriel, Havertz, Ramsdale, Ben White, William Saliba, Saka, Jurrien Timber
Subs: Jorginho, Tierney, Holding, Tomiyasu, Auston Trusty, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Martinelli, Karl Hein, Jakub Kiwior, Fábio Vieira, Marquinhos, Amario Cozier-Duberry
Barcelona XI: Lewandowski, Gundogan, Romeu, Ter Stegen, Alonso, Christensen, Raphinha, Ronald Araújo, Dest, Pedri, Abde Ezzalzouli
Subs: Roberto, I. Martinez, Lenglet, Kessie, Dembele, Pena, De Jong, Ferran Torres, Kounde, Eric Garcia, Álex Collado, Fati, Mikayil Faye, Álex Baldé, Marc Casadó, Aleix Garrido, Gavi, Fermín López, Álex Valle, Ander Astralaga, Lamine Yamal