How Riccardo Calafiori provided Arsenal’s spark in statement win at Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s inventiveness with full-backs helped the champions open up Unai Emery’s team and start their title defence with consecutive wins
Riccardo Calafiori helped Arsenal secure a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in their opening Community Shield match. The young left-back scored a goal after just 23 seconds and provided a cross for Bukayo Saka to score the winning goal. The win marked Arsenal's first victory at Villa Park in over a year, following a defeat in December.
Manager Mikel Arteta praised the collective effort, stating it was a "squad victory." Calafiori's performance, along with Saka's two goals, showed Arsenal's potential to build on their strong start to the season. The victory was a "statement result," demonstrating Arsenal's ability to win matches in different ways, even when facing a transition period at Aston Villa.
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