Newcomers Brentford blank Gunners in opener
London, Aug. 14: Brentford made a blistering start to their first English topflight season for 74 years as goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard earned a 2-0 win over Arsenal in front of a firstever full house at the Brentford Community Stadium on Friday.
The Gunners have finished eighth in each of his first two seasons in charge and the Spaniard has a daunting task to turn things around before the September international break with title favourites Chelsea and Manchester City to come in Arsenal’s next two games.
Bryan Mbuemo drilled a shot off the outside of the post in the first warning shot from the home side before they took the lead on 22 minutes. Ethan Pinnock fed Canos on the Brentford left and he cut inside to unleash a powerful shot that beat Bernd Leno at his near post.
Mbuemo then dragged another huge chance wide after turning Arsenal’s new 50 million signing Ben White with ease.
The Gunners were without both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandra Lacazette due to illness, handing Folarin Balogun his Premier League debut.
VALENCIA PIP GETAFE
Valencia overcame a thirdminute red card to beat Getafe 1-0 in a bruising opening game in Spain’s La Liga on Friday.
Defender Hugo Guillamon was given a straight red for a dangerous tackle on Getafe’s Nemanja Maksimovic. The foul itself had been committed after just 39 seconds of the game. Eight minutes after Guillamon’s dismissal, Valencia were ahead.
Denis Cheryshev was brought down in the penalty area and Carlos Soler tucked away the spot-kick.
LORIENT UPSET MONACO
Lorient, who just escaped relegation last season, upset visiting Monaco 1-0 as Nigerian striker Terem Moffi converted a penalty he had won.
Lorient made the most of opening the fixtures on the second weekend of the season by jumping to the top of the table with four points. Moffi was brought down by Ismail Jakobs after 31 minutes and took the penalty to score. Moffi was Lorient’s top scorer last season with 14 goals.
LEWA STRIKES IN DRAW
Robert Lewandowski equalised as defending champions Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in a hard-fought opening game of the new Bundesliga season on Friday.
Gladbach deservedly took the lead when Alassane Plea fired past Manuel Neuer with just ten minutes gone.
Lewandowski levelled just before the break from a corner.