**_KEIR RADNEDGE COMMENTARY_** —- First blood to Arsenal in following up Premier League success by winning the FA Community Shield. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and man of the match Martin Odegaard delivered a 3-0 victory over a Manchester City who were very much second best, surprisingly, in the traditional curtain-raiser to the new campaign.
The Gunners were sharper and more aggressively competitive in every facet of an event they have now won 18 times. City appeared to be trailing a week or more in their preparation. Not that victory is necessarily a good omen for Arsenal. City, in 2018-19, are the only team in the past 15 years to have won the Community Shield and gone on to become Premier League champions.
Cardiff’s Principality Stadium was the stage for the first time since 2006 because of Wembley’s unavailability through concert commitments and presented an intriguing clash between two of Pep Guardiola’s old assistants in Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and opposite number Enzo Maresca, on his competitive debut in charge of City.
[](http://keirradnedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/comshield-arsenalwin-FR.jpg)
**_Arsenal off to a trophy-winning start in Cardiff_**
Arteta, reflecting on success, said: “It was a really good performance. I was impressed. I told the players I really enjoyed watching them play. Our midfield is very strong. We have been adding quality year after year.”
Maresca’s response: “The goal we conceded after 25 seconds unfortunately affected the game in that moment. I think after the goal, the reaction was quite good before they scored the second one, we had three or four chances to score and draw the game but unfortunately we conceded the second one and it became more complicated. We have many things to work on.”
Arsenal enjoyed the perfect start. They attacked in numbers from the kickoff and Myles Lewis-Skelly provided a perfect assist for Calafiori to open the scoring after only 25 seconds. It was the first opening-minute goal since Bobby Owen had scored for City against West Bromwich in 1968.
Keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma may have wondered, superstitiously, whether he had been tempting fate by taking over the No1 shirt after James Trafford’s move to Leeds.
**Brief threat**
City needed 20 minutes before raising their first threat to Arsenal’s goal with Phil Foden foiled by David Raya. This was brief respite. Two minutes later and Kai Havertz headed beneath Donnarumma after new winger Christos Solis had pushed Martin Odegaard’s cross back across goal.
The Gunners’ fans taunted their rivals with a chant of: “Are you Tottenham in disguise?”
Arsenal began the second half as they had the first, with a quick goal. This time it took just over two minutes before the lively Tzolis set up his captain Odegaard to leave a beaten Donnarumma on his back once more.
Maresca brought on all his five substitutes before the hour mark but, as a contest, the match was over. Arteta can prepare with confidence for Arsenal’s hosting of promoted Coventry on Friday. Maresca, by contrast, has much more to ponder before City welcome Marco Rose’s Bournemouth two days later.
**_The teams_**
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Raya – White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Mosquera, Calafiori (Hincapié 60min) – Guimarães (Rice 46), Lewis-Skelly (Zubimendi 75) – Madueke (Saka 60), Odegaard (Eze 84), Tzolis — K Havertz (Gyokeres 75). Yellow cards: Calafiori, Odegaard.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma – Khusanov, Ruben Días, Gvardiol, O’Reilly (Guéhi 54) – Kovacic (González 79), Anderson (Lewis 60) — Semenyo, Foden (Cherki 60), Doku (Grealish 46) – Haaland (Marmoush 53). Yellow cards: Foden, Gvardiol.
Referee: Barrott. Attendance 58,056.
###