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Arsenal opens EPL with 2-0 win at Crystal Palace

Football

By David Njaaga | Aug 05, 2022

Crystal Palace's Nathaniel Clyne, left, duels for the ball with Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park stadium in London, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. (AP )

Arsenal's newcomers made an immediate impact as they opened the English Premier League beating host Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday.

Left back Oleksandr Zinchenko set up the opening goal in the first half while striker Gabriel Jesus created a number of chances and defender William Saliba put in a near-flawless performance in his first start for Arsenal.

The Gunners still had to endure a nervy second half before Bukayo Sako's attempted cross was deflected into his own net by Palace defender Marc Guehi in the 85th.

Arsenal took the lead from a well-worked corner in the 20th, when Zinchenko met a long delivery into the area and headed back across goal toward Gabriel Martinelli, who nodded the ball in from close range.

Martinelli should have scored in the opening minutes after a rampaging run from Jesus, who dribbled his way into the box before the ball was deflected into the path of his fellow Brazilian, who scuffed his shot wide of the far post.

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Zinchenko and Jesus both joined from Manchester City in the offseason while Saliba was signed in 2019 but spent the last three seasons on loan in his native France. The center back looked composed and confident in his league debut, making key interventions and blocks as Palace chased an equalizer.

Arsenal also needed two good saves from goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to maintain the lead.

Ramsdale first reacted quickly to palm away a close-range header from Odsonne Edouard in the 42nd minute, then got down low to block a shot from Eberechi Eze in the 54th.

For Arsenal, it made for a much better start to the season than last year, when it also opened the campaign on a Friday night but fell to at promoted Brentford 2-0 and went on to lose the next two games as well.