Arsenal breeze past winless Bournemouth As Kai Havertz scores first Arsenal’s Goal
The satisfaction of a straightforward victory was, for Arsenal, topped by a moment that may have lasting significance.
Kai Havertz has been subjected to intense scrutiny since moving from Chelsea, struggling to find his groove even if opprobrium has been premature in the extreme. A run of respectable all-round showings needed some end product and it came when, handed the chance to see off Bournemouth’s perfunctory challenge, he comfortably beat Neto from the spot. The away support had cheered when he took the ball; they could hail his first goal for the club within moments and Arsenal’s players, led by Gabriel Magalhães, made sure Havertz soaked up the acclaim.
Seconds previously Havertz had seen an angle shot deflected into the side netting but, those glimmers apart, neither side had done much to raise pulses. Once behind, though, there was a sense Bournemouth would be bereft if they conceded again. Oleksandr Zinchenko, frequently adding to the midfield numbers with grace, swiftly took aim from 25 yards in an attempt to settle things early but saw Neto bat his drive away.
The next time Zinchenko exerted an influence infield, Arsenal would go one better. They had not been entirely dominant since scoring but Bournemouth, for all their willingness to attack their flanks and probe around the 18-yard line, had failed to create a meaningful chance. The interval was nearing when Eddie Nketiah passed inside to Zinchenko and sprinted down the left channel, running beyond Illia Zabarnyi and taking the perfectly-weighted return. Max Aarons had to ensure his challenge was flawless upon choosing to dive in but was clumsy and late, Nketiah getting toe on ball to win a clear penalty. Ødegaard converted calmly and, while Gabriel had to deny Philip Billing immediately at the other end, Arsenal now had overwhelming control.
