Gunners stun Bayern Munich in International Champions Cup

Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah celebrates with teammates after scoring [Courtesy]

Eddie Nketiah grabbed a late winner as Arsenal beat Bayern Munich to start the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament with a win.

Arsenal substitute Nketiah struck with just five minutes left to settle a high tempo, entertaining and highly competitive friendly in Los Angeles.

In truth, the game could have gone either way as both teams had chances but Arsenal’s late substitutes made a big difference to give them extra energy as Bayern tired.

Bayern went close after 32 minutes when Thomas Muller saw a near-post shot saved brilliantly by Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno.

But Arsenal should have gone ahead themselves six minutes later when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lightning run led a counter-attack, he played in Mesut Ozil whose shot was blocked by Manuel Neuer.

Finally, the breakthrough came three minutes after the restart after a lovely Arsenal move. Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s clever ball found Aubameyang and his low cross was turned into the net by Bayern defender Louis Poznanski for an own goal.

The German champions levelled after 71 minutes when Serge Gnabry’s cross picked out Robert Lewandowski, Shkodran Mustafi lost his man and the Bayern No.9 headed home.

But just as it looked the game was heading to penalties, Arsenal got an 85th-minute winner as Tyreece John-Jules’s low cross was turned in by Nketiah.

Arsenal now play Fiorentina in Charlotte on Saturday before they finish the tournament against Real Madrid in Washington.

By AFP 2 hrs ago
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