Sunday 2 August 2015

Oxlade-Chamberlain strikes to earn Gunners Community Shield win

Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 to win Community Shield





Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the only goal as Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Community Shield at Wembley – Arsene Wenger’s first victory over Jose Mourinho in 14 attempts.
The England international netted the winner with a powerful left-footed drive into the top corner midway through the first half.
Ramires had the Blues’ best effort in the opening 45 minutes when he headed wide unmarked from Loic Remy’s cross.
Arsenal debutant and former Chelsea stopper Petr Cech was called into action after the break to palm Oscar’s free-kick away.
The Gunners went close late on through Santi Cazorla and Kieran Gibbs, but Oxlade-Chamberlain’s strike was enough to seal Arsenal’s second successive Community Shield triumph.
England midfielder Jack Wilshere missed out for Arsenal, presumably as a precaution against injury, while Radamel Falcao started on the bench for Chelsea.
The league champions were lively early on but Theo Walcott had the first chance of the game, flicking Mesut Ozil’s free-kick into the arms of Blues goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on 22 minutes.
Two minutes later Oxlade-Chamberlain fired the Gunners ahead. Running on to Walcott's pass down the right, the midfielder drove into the penalty area before cutting inside Cesar Azpilicueta and drilling a left-foot shot into the far corner – Arsenal's first goal against Chelsea since January 2013.
Ramires should have levelled for the Blues before the break, but the Brazil international somehow headed over Remy's cross when arriving at pace in the six-yard box.
Mourinho made a change for the second half when Remy was replaced by Falcao and soon afterwards sent Oscar on for Ramires.
On the hour, Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard broke into the right side of the penalty area, however last season’s Footballer of the Year blasted the ball high over Cech's goal.
Cech then produced a fine save to keep out a curling 20-yard free-kick from Oscar in the 68th minute.
Arsenal almost made it 2-0 in the closing stages when Cazorla's shot was saved by Courtois, and Aaron Ramsey's follow-up was deflected wide.
But the Gunners closed out a morale-boosting win, with Gibbs denied in stoppage time by another good block from the Chelsea keeper.

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