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Sunday, 2 August 2015

Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea: Wenger breaks Mourinho jinx to lift Community Shield


Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea: Wenger breaks Mourinho jinx to lift Community Shield
The FA Cup holders took on the Premier League champions in the season curtain-raiser, with the Gunners coming out on top at Wembley Stadium thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsene Wenger finally beat rival manager Jose Mourinho at the 14th time of asking as Arsenal emerged with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners had gone over 500 minutes without netting against the Blues until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring in the first half, shifting the ball onto his left foot and rifling a thunderous effort into the top corner.

Mourinho tried to rally his side in the second period, bringing on Radamel Falcao, but it was Eden Hazard who had the best chance to level the scores, only to blast the ball over the bar.

Petr Cech, facing his old club, was forced to palm away Oscar's goal-bound free-kick as time ticked away, but Arsenal held on comfortably - and even had two one-on-one chances to extend their lead - to pick up their third trophy of pre-season.

Both sides were missing their top scorers from last season, but Chelsea felt the absence of the hamstrung Diego Costa more keenly than Arsenal did that of the rested Alexis Sanchez.

Cech, so often Chelsea's saviour throughout his glittering decade at Stamford Bridge before his switch across London in June, was rarely troubled in Arsenal's goal as Mourinho's men looked blunt up top without Costa.



By contrast, Oxlade-Chamberlain was excellent throughout for Arsenal, while Theo Walcott - handed a starting spot up front - and Mesut Ozil also impressed as Wenger's men deservedly retained the Community Shield, having also overcome then Premier League champions Manchester City last summer.

Chelsea weathered early pressure and former Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas had tentative appeals for a penalty rejected by referee Anthony Taylor in the ninth minute.

But it was the FA Cup holders who took the lead midway through the half - and did so in some style through Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The England winger collected Walcott's pass, cut inside Cesar Azpilicueta and rifled an unstoppable left-footed shot into Thibaut Courtois' far top corner.

Chelsea responded well and should have been level nine minutes before the break, but Ramires somehow contrived to nod Loic Remy's arced cross from the left over Cech's crossbar from six yards.







And the Brazilian's miss would have proven even more costly had Branislav Ivanovic not bailed him out with a terrific goal-saving clearance when Aaron Ramsey looked certain to head Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross past a stranded Courtois on the stroke of half-time.

Mourinho turned to Falcao at the break in an attempt to sharpen his side's cutting edge, but it was two of Chelsea's stars from last season who created their best chance of the second half on the hour.

Fabregas picked out Hazard in the inside-right channel, but the off-colour Belgian could only blaze his shot over the bar from 10 yards.

Cech then proved his worth with a relatively comfortable save from Chelsea substitute Oscar's free-kick, and Olivier Giroud could - maybe should - have doubled Arsenal's advantage in the 68th minute when he fired over from close range.

The Gunners missed two further opportunities to put the game to bed, with first Santi Cazorla and then Kieran Gibbs missing when clean through against Courtois, who closed down the angle well and devoured the shots.

Chelsea continued to press in their search for an equaliser, but with Costa absent in body - and Hazard unable to conjure his usual magic - Mourinho's proud record against Wenger never looked like being maintained.

Match Stats — Team Stats

ArsenalArsenalv.Chelsea

    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    1100%0%0
    Total Shots (including blocked shots)
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    1144%56%14
    Shots On Target
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    571.4%28.6%2
    Blocked Shots
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    337.5%62.5%5
    Shots from outside the box
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    440%60%6
    Shots from inside the box
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    746.7%53.3%8
    Shot Accuracy (excluding blocked shots)
    ArsenalComparisonChelsea
    62.5%73.8%26.2%

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