Arsenal have started the 2026/27 season in style after beating Manchester City 3-0 to win the Community Shield in Cardiff.
Riccardo Calafiori gave Arsenal the perfect start when he scored just 24 seconds into the game at the Principality Stadium.
Kai Havertz doubled the lead in the 28th minute before captain Martin Odegaard added a third two minutes after the restart.
The victory gave Arsenal their 18th Community Shield title and provided a strong boost ahead of the new Premier League season.
Arsenal came out strongly from the opening whistle and quickly put City under pressure. Ben White found Myles Lewis-Skelly, who created space before playing Calafiori through. The Italian calmly finished past new City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City tried to respond, with Phil Foden forcing David Raya into an early save. However, Arsenal remained the more dangerous side and soon extended their lead.
Noni Madueke played the ball back to Odegaard, who sent a cross towards Christos Tzolis. The Greek winger headed it across the box for Havertz, who directed his header into the net.
City had chances before the break. Erling Haaland was denied by Raya, while White produced an important block to stop Jeremy Doku from scoring.
Arsenal almost added a third before half-time, but City survived after Odegaard’s effort went under Donnarumma before being cleared off the line.
The third goal finally arrived just two minutes into the second half.
Lewis-Skelly found Tzolis on the left, and the winger picked out Odegaard’s run. The Arsenal captain moved past Josko Gvardiol before rounding Donnarumma and rolling the ball into an empty net.
It was Odegaard’s first goal since December after an injury-hit 2025/26 season.
Bukayo Saka also came close to scoring after coming on, while Raya made another excellent save to deny Antoine Semenyo and preserve Arsenal’s clean sheet.
The win gives Arsenal confidence ahead of their Premier League title defence, which begins on Friday against newly promoted Coventry City.
They will then travel to Aston Villa on August 31 before facing Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 6.
