European Football Wrap: Arsenal win Battle of London, Inter mount enthralling comeback against Napoli

Arsenal win Battle of London

You must admire the resilience of this Arsenal side.  Other teams would have been rattled after going 1-0 down within 77 secs against an up-and-coming Chelsea side.  But Mikel Arteta’s men are made of sterner stuff, immediately going on the front foot after going behind.  Califiori thought he had equalized only for VAR to discover that Konsa was offside in the preceding goal-mouth melee.  But Kai Havertz would once again be the man to defy his former club, sweeping home an equalizer in the 25^th minute.  Arsenal were the only team capable of sustaining consistent spells of possession and it was only a matter of time until they took the lead.  And they did so in delightful fashion, with Tzolis cutting in from the left-hand side before teasing the ball into the box.  Havertz sent Chelsea to the tuckshop with a wicked dummy, leaving the ball for the resurgent Odegaard to rocket the ball home.  Chelsea did put Arsenal under some pressure in the closing moments, with Estevao forcing Raya into an early Save of the Season contender.  But the Gunners ground the match out in typically professional fashion, firmly underlying their favourite’s status. 

Inter mount enthralling comeback against Napoli

Inter and Napoli produced a mega-clash for the ages, making a mockery of your stereotypical notions of boring Italian football.  Massimiliano Allegri’s tenure at Napoli is looking more doomed by the minute.  The former AC Milan boss returned to the San Siro in desperate need of a statement performance following last week’s defeat to Como.  And they looked in total control against a lacklustre Inter, with Poiltano and Hojlund scoring just after halftime to give Napoli a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead.  But the dynamic duo of Martinez and Thuram turned the game completely on its head.  First, Martinez applied the finishing touches to a lovely team move to make it 2-1.  Thuram then scored a trademark bullet header to equalize matters in the 82^nd minute.  Captain Fantastic Martinez would have the final say, ghosting in at the far post to resign Allegri to back-to-back defeats. 

Juve end Amorim’s dream start to the season

What a pulsating edition of the Italian Clasico.  Juve and AC Milan put their 100% records on the line yesterday, both looking to keep within spitting distance of current leaders Roma and Inter.  The home side looked the better side for much of the first half, with Mike Maignan forced into a couple of magnificent saves to keep out Francisco Conceicao.  The Portuguese winger continued to look Juve’s biggest threat in the 2^nd stanza, firing an effort into the base of the post just ten minutes into the half.  But AC Milan broke the deadlock against the run of play, as 19-year-old sub Alphadjo Cisse cut inside and fired past Vicario.  But another substitute would have the final say, as centre-back Gatti thundered his header in off the bar for a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer.  It was a fitting end to an absorbing clash. 

Reality check for Mourinho

And just when everything was looking so easy for Real Madrid.  Mourinho’s side slumped to their first defeat of the season at Real Betis, with a lone Troy Parrott goal resigning Los Blancos to a 1-0 defeat (a Northern Irishman bringing down Real Madrid was certainly not in my bingo card this week).  But Real only had themselves- and possibly the referee- to blame.  Los Blancos had a stunning 15 shots in the first half, with Mbappe and Vini Jr missing several gilt-edged chances.  They were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal, with Troy Parrot prodding Betis into the lead in the 81^st minute.  Mourinho’s men left nothing on the dancefloor in the final ten minutes, having a goal cancelled out for offside before being awarded a stoppage-time penalty.  The penalty was mired in controversy, as Marc Bartra appeared to be encroaching as Mbappe’s spot-kick was saved.  VAR reviewed the decision, sticking with the on-field call because Bartra was still mid-air and his feet hadn’t touched the ground.  I mean, he still gained a significant advantage being in that position, right?  In any event, Mbappe can’t afford too many more off nights if Real aim to keep pace with this free-scoring Barca machine. 

Barca show levels

Barcelona didn’t need a 2^nd invitation to take advantage of Real’s slip-up, thrashing Valenica 5-0 at the Mestalla in a scary statement of intent.  Wow!  Rodri looked right at home making his first start for the club, linking up beautifully with Pedri to give Barca the ideal launching pad to express themselves.  And express themselves, they did.  The front-four of Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha and Gordon had an absolute feast, creating a bevy of chances with some of the most dynamic interplay you would wish to see.  Yamal was at his electrifying best, opening the scoring with an impudent chip before rounding off the scoring with a late surge into the box.  Anthony Gordon has put the naysayers to shame in the early stages of his Barca career, adding a 4^th assist in just his 4^th La Liga game.  That equals the returns of both Suarez and Fabregas in their early Barca matches (the incomparable Messi had five assists in four matches). 

Bayern held as SV Elversberg dominate headlines

The Bundesliga can occasionally feel like a one-team league, with Bayern dominating the headlines with scenery-chewing performances.  This weekend was refreshingly different.  Die Roten were frustrated during their trip to Schalke, as Loris Karius inspired the newly promoted club to a valuable 0-0 draw.  Even Dortmund’s sensational 2^nd half comeback at Hoffenheim felt like a bit of an afterthought.  Quite simply, St Elversberg’s earth-shattering start to life in the Bundesliga has sucked up all the oxygen in the room.  The Bundesliga first timers represent Spiesen-Elversberg, a town with a population of little more than 13,000 people.  But Vincent Wagner’s men have proven themselves to be no shrinking violets, following their opening-day 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen with a sensational 4-3 comeback win at Borussia Monchengladbach.  Monchengladbach seemed to be homed and hosed after Joe Scally gave them a 3-1 lead in the 56^th minute.  Maurice Krattenmacher had other ideas.  The substitute made it 3-2 in fortuitous circumstances, as his header cannoned off the post and back into him before rolling into the net.  Felix Kurdel curled in a stunning freekick to make it 3-3 and set up a grandstand finish.  Krattenmacher then sent the travelling support into raptures, cooly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to complete the incredible comeback win. 

Player of the Week- Loris Karius

This has been one of the more pleasing redemption arcs in recent memory.  Karius will probably forever be remembered for his nightmarish performance in the 2018 Champions League final, where he made two howlers to virtually hand the trophy to Real Madrid.  But he has found a new lease on life at the Veltins Arena, helping Schalke secure their path back into the Bundesliga.  And he was inspired this weekend, producing five fantastic saves to keep the all-conquering Bayern Munich at bay and secure Schalke’s first point of the new campaign.  Everybody loves a great Rocky story.