Arsenal Secures 2-1 Victory Against Forest in Premier League Opener

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) – Arsenal kicked off their new Premier League season with an intense 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at home on Saturday. First-half goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka secured the win for the Gunners.

Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi scored a late goal, causing some moments of anxiety for Arsenal. However, the victory placed Arsenal level with league leaders Manchester City on three points, although they trail on goal difference following City’s 3-0 win over Burnley on Friday.

The start of the game was delayed by 30 minutes due to turnstile issues at Emirates Stadium, causing fans to arrive late. However, once the game began, Arsenal dominated possession and easily penetrated Forest’s defense.

Arsenal had an early scare when Brennan Johnson broke through their defense, but he missed his chance to score, leaving Forest manager Steve Cooper in disbelief.

Arsenal’s persistence paid off when Gabriel Martinelli’s graceful pirouette left two defenders stunned and set up Nketiah for a goal past former Arsenal keeper Matt Turner.

Six minutes later, 21-year-old Saka found the back of the net from the edge of the box with a beautiful curled shot, extending Arsenal’s lead.

Speaking about Martinelli’s assist, Nketiah expressed his satisfaction, stating, “It was a great bit of skill by Martinelli to get through… It’s about being calm and getting that half a yard. I’m happy it went in.” He also praised Saka for his quality and contribution to the team.

In the second half, Arsenal faced a setback as their new signing, Jurrien Timber, had to be substituted due to an injury. However, the Gunners maintained control of the game.

Despite easing off the pressure, Arsenal still had opportunities to extend their lead, with club record signing Declan Rice coming close to scoring. However, Turner denied him on both occasions.

In a surprising turn of events, Nottingham Forest scored against the run of play through a counter-attack. Anthony Elanga’s sprint down the left set up Awoniyi for the goal, narrowing the score to 2-1.

The final minutes of the game were filled with excitement and tension, but Arsenal managed to hold on to secure the victory.

Reflecting on the game, Nketiah commented, “They crept back in late, they made a few changes that helped. Obviously, it was a bit of a nervy finish but we defended really well and we deserve the three points.”

($1 = 0.9137 euros)

Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon

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