Arsenal vs Chelsea, Community Shield Live: Arsenal take on Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley. (Source: Reuters)
In the traditional curtain raiser to activity at the top level in England, the Premier League champions take on the FA Cup winners which in this case is Chelsea vs Arsenal at the Wembley. In the Community Shield final, both teams come with near full-strength squad and a chance to make a strong mark early on in the season. Arsenal have won 14 Community Shield trophies while Chelsea have won four. For Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez has been one hot transfer prospect to hold on to and his fitness will be assessed. Chelsea will miss two big players in Eden Hazard (injured) and Diego Costa (exiled from the squad) with big money signing Alvaro Morata expected to start. Catch live score and updates from Community Shield in Arsenal vs Chelsea.
Community Shield Live, Arsenal vs Chelsea Live Score and Updates: Arsenal, the reigning FA Cup champions, take on Chelsea, the Premier League champions, at Wembley.
2017 hrs IST: GOAL! Arsenal equalise with Kolasinac goal in the 82nd minute. There won’t be any extra time. However, penalties can be expected.
2005 hrs IST: Morata replaces Batschuayi as Chelsea continue dominating the show.
1937 hrs IST: GOAL! Chelsea take 1-0 lead with Victor Moses scoring a close range goal.
1925 hrs IST: HALF TIME! Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea after the first 45 minutes. The first half has been all Arsenal. They’ve created the lion’s share of chances and tested Courtois enough. Lacazette hit the post to come closest to the opener.
1916 hrs IST: Fantastic move by Arsenal. Get out of a ditch in their own half with neat one-touch passing and there is plenty of space in the middle to make the most of. It comes to Oxlade-Chamberlain and he spreads it to Iwobi who is surrounded by two Chelsea players. Almost loses the ball but comes back to wiggle his way out of it to get a shot. But little venom in it to bother Courtois in goal. Nearing half time now. 0-0
1908 hrs IST: Unfortunate change for Arsenal as Kolasinac comes on to replace Per Mertesacker. An elbow on the veteran defender is enough to stop him from continuing. Kolasinac moves into left side of the back three
1855 hrs IST: POST! LACAZETTE HITS THE UNDERSIDE OF THE POST! The new Arsenal signing tries to curl the ball into the corner of the right hand side of the goal but hits the post in the process. Good passing move by Arsenal inside the Chelsea final third to create the opening
1851 hrs IST: Nearly 20 minutes played at Wembley and Arsenal have looked the better of the two teams. Chelsea making a few inroads but not convincing enough in the final third to bother Petr Cech. Though the stat that matters reads, 0-0
1838 hrs IST: Splendid stuff by Iwobi to dart past an outstretched leg from David Luiz. Makes his way into the box but the cut back is not latched on to by any player in red. The chance goes begging and the ricochet comes off an Arsenal player for a goal kick. Seven minutes played and that was the first decent chance of the match.
1827 hrs IST: KICK OFF! The anthems are done. Followed by a tribute for Grenfell Tower disaster victims by both sets of fans. A minute’s silence as well.
1815 hrs IST: TEAM NEWS: Alvaro Morata starts on the bench for Chelsea. So is Alexis Sanchez who has trained with the squad for only five days. No Mesut Ozil either. On to the teams then:
ARSENAL: Cech, Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal, Elneny, Xhaka, Bellerin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck, Iwobi, Lacazette
CHELSEA: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Pedro
1815 hrs IST: Hello and good evening, dear readers. How excited are you to see the return of English football season? (No offence, Championship teams!) What better way than a London derby to get the season underway. Sure one might forget this result by the next week but doesn’t take away the fun of the start, for now, does it?
