Author: Barkha Roy
Arsenal started their season on a tense but victorious note, securing a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest. The match had its share of delays and twists and turns, with kick-off at the Emirates Stadium delayed by half an hour due to problems with the turnstiles.
The Arsenal fans, although patient, were treated to a gripping spectacle. In the first half, Gabriel Martinelli made an exceptional turnover and fed Eddie Nketiah for a goal midway through the period. The shot, deflected by Matt Turner, who was making his Forest debut after recently signing from Arsenal, gave the team the early lead.
Bukayo Saka, one of the highlights of the match, extended Arsenal’s lead with a magnificent shot into the top corner from outside the box just six minutes after Nketiah’s goal. At this point, Arsenal looked to be heading for a comfortable win, with Forest struggling to create meaningful chances up front. Note that Declan Rice, a newcomer to the club, hit the post in the 76th minute.
However, a late twist injected drama into the match. Taiwo Awoniyi took advantage of a brilliant counter-attacking move to score for Nottingham Forest, reducing the deficit to one with just seven minutes remaining. The sudden change of pace meant Arsenal faced a nervy finish.
Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White had the chance to level the score with a shot over the bar, but the team managed to hold on. Despite their dominance in the second half, Arsenal were left to rue missed opportunities to secure a more convincing win.
Arsenal saw two Brazilian players play in this game. Gabriel Martinelli showed a moment of world-class skill that led to the opening goal. That moment seemed to energize him significantly, making him appear faster than any other player on the pitch. His performance was so focused and captivating that we’re looking forward to what he can do this season. Meanwhile, central defender Gabriel Magalhães replaced Martinelli in a defensive move by the club’s coach in the 86th minute and therefore had no influence on the game.
Only one Brazilian player for Nottingham Forest, Danilo, struggled to be consistently involved in the game, especially during the long periods when the home side controlled possession. He also found himself positioned on the wing on a few occasions, which further limited his impact on the match.