Arsenal’s long wait to reclaim the Emirates Cup stretches into another year after the Premier League champions fell to a 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in a frantic pre-season encounter at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Despite a promising start from Mikel Arteta’s side, who controlled early possession and carved out promising opening chances, it was the Bundesliga outfit that drew first blood. Dortmund capitalized on a defensive lapse inside the penalty area, allowing Samuele Inacio to pounce and slot the ball past the goalkeeper to put the visitors ahead.
The German side doubled their lead shortly after through Konstantinos Karetsas, who produced a moment of individual brilliance by curling a precise effort into the far corner, leaving Arsenal facing a steep uphill battle before the half-time break.
Arsenal found a lifeline before the interval through rising star Ethan Nwaneri. The youngster capped off a swift attacking move with a clinical finish to pull one back for the hosts, injecting fresh energy into the Emirates crowd.
However, Dortmund quickly dampened the home side’s momentum after the restart. Arsenal failed to clear a dangerous corner kick, allowing the visitors to scramble the ball over the line and restore their two-goal cushion at 3-1.
Refusing to back down, the Gunners continued to push forward in the closing stages and were awarded a late penalty following a foul inside the box. Summer signing Viktor Gyökeres stepped up to the spot, showing characteristic composure to roll the ball into the net and bring Arsenal within one.
Arsenal threw players forward in search of an equalizer during stoppage time, but Dortmund held firm to seal the 3-2 victory. The result marks the fifth consecutive year that the Gunners have failed to lift their pre-season trophy.
Mikel Arteta’s squad will look to fine-tune their preparations and integrate their new signings further when they host Italian Serie A side Como on Wednesday in their final warm-up fixture ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
