Sports

Newly promoted Brentford stun Arsenal 2-0

Sports Desk, Aug 13 (EFE).- The 2021-2022 Premier League season got under way Friday with an upset, as Brentford celebrated being back in the English top flight after an absence of 74 years by beating Arsenal 2-0 in a London derby.

Whether by coincidence or design, Brentford made their return against the Gunners, the same team the already relegated Bees faced in their 1947 season finale.

All 17,250 seats at Brentford Community Stadium were filled for the league’s first contest in 18 months without limits on crowd size due to the pandemic.

Despite missing the injured Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, the visitors has 66 percent possession and outshot the home side 22-8.

Yet the better organized and more confident hosts took the lead in the 22nd minute thanks to Sergi Canos, who grabbed the honor of scoring the first goal of the Premier League campaign.

Frank Onyeka intercepted an attempted clearance by Calum Chambers and got the ball to the Spaniard, who beat Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno to send the Brentford supporters into a frenzy.

Danish international Christian Norgaard put the Bees ahead 2-0 in the 73rd minute with a header off a long throw-in from compatriot Mads Bech Sorensen.

Brentford keeper David Raya made four stops, the most impressive coming in the 87th minute against Nicolas Pepe, and ended the night with a clean sheet.

The final whistle spurred a celebration befitting a title win as the Bees vaulted to the top of the Premier League table. EFE

jjl/dr

Related Articles

Back to top button