Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Highlights: Arsenal thrash City 3-0

Riccardo Calafiori scored inside the first 25 seconds of the match to put Arsenal ahead and Kai Havertz later doubled the lead in the 28th minute. Martin Odegaard made it even worse for City in the second half.

Enzo Maresca endured a nightmarish first competitive match in charge of Manchester City as Arsenal scored inside 24 seconds before powering to a 3-0 victory in the Community Shield on Sunday. English soccer’s annual season curtain-raiser between the reigning Premier League (Arsenal) and FA Cup (City) champions offered a chance for an early assessment of the two teams most likely to challenge for the big trophies this campaign.

While Arsenal delivered a statement performance – not least by scoring after 23 seconds through Riccardo Calafiori – at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, there might be some early concerns for City and Maresca at the start of the post-Pep Guardiola era.

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Kai Havertz headed home the second goal in the 28th through the grasp of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Martin Odegaard ran unchallenged into City’s area before sitting down Donnarumma with an outrageous dummy and slotting a finish into an unguarded net in the 48th.

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Aug 16, 2026 09:29 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: FULL-TIME

90+4' That will be that. Pretty smooth sailing for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. Riccardo Calafiori scored just 23 seconds from kickoff, which is now the fastest goal in the history of the Community Shield. Kai Havertz then added a second for Arsenal in the 28th minute, while captain Martin Odegaard scored the third just three minutes into the second-half. For Enzo Maresca, this has been baptism by fire, and more. The same can be said about Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was sat down on two occasions. Manchester City would want to forget this game as soon as they possibly can. For the defending Premier League champions, this could be the perfect launch pad in their title defence.

More Premier League and football updates to come your way, as and when they do. Till then, good night!

Aug 16, 2026 09:19 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: City fans head home

87' They have seen enough, have the Manchester City fans. A section of them have decided to make the trip from Cardiff to Manchester earlier than expected, as the blue section of the stadium starts to empty. In the red section, though, the party has only begun.

Aug 16, 2026 09:17 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Odegaard withdrawn

84' Martin Odegaard leaves the pitch to a standing ovation from the Arsenal supporters. The captain, certainly, has led by example in this fixture. City wouldn't breathe easy though, because coming to replace him is the nimble trickster, Eberechi Eze.

Aug 16, 2026 09:13 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Silky, sublime, Arsenal

80' Things could have gotten for Manchester City. Substitutes combine with effortless smoothness as Piero Hincapie's dragback finds Bukayo Saka unmarked inside the box, but the latter blasts his shot over the bar. City, meanwhile, get a rare shot on target, courtesy Antoine Semenyo, but David Raya comes to the rescue again.

Aug 16, 2026 09:09 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Havertz's day is done

75' Arteta makes two more changes. Kai Havertz's day is done, and so is Myles Lewis Skelly's. The pair — the scorer of the second and the provider of the first — are being replaced by Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres respectively.

Aug 16, 2026 09:05 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Timely outing from Donnarumma

72' This'll do Donnarumma's confidence a world of good. The Italian shot-stopper has had a shocker today, but his timely outing thwarts what would certainly have been a fourth goal for Arsenal with Saka charging down.

Aug 16, 2026 08:56 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Saka hits the side-netting

63' They have got a spring in their steps, have Arsenal. Odegaard threads a ball for Bukayo Saka, who could have scored only three minutes after being introduces. The winger does the first part correctly to beat his marker, but then fluffed his lines with the shot.

Aug 16, 2026 08:53 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: More changes for City

60' Maresca is using every trick up his sleeve. Two more changes for Manchester City, as Rico Lewis and Rayan Cherki replace Elliot Anderson and Phil Foden. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta is also making a couple of substitutions. Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie are introduced. Off goes goalscorer Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke.

Aug 16, 2026 08:47 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Off goes Haaland

54' Wow, that's interesting. Manchester City need goals and they are withdrawing the likeliest source of it. Erling Haaland is substituted off, with Omar Marmoush replacing him. Marc Guehi comes in place of Nico O'Reilly.

Aug 16, 2026 08:41 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: GOALLLL! 3-0 for Arsenal

48' Second half begins just how the first did — with Arsenal finding the back of the net. Odegaard finds Tzolis down the left, who finds his captain back with a perfectly weighted pass. Like how Riccardo Calafiori did, the Norwegian also sends Donnarumma down the wrong side. This has been a nightmarish start to life at City for Enzo Maresca.

Aug 16, 2026 08:32 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: ICYMI — Calafiori scored the fastest goal in Community Shield history

In case you missed it, Riccardo Calafiori's goal — just 23 seconds into the game — was also the fastest in the history of the FA Community Shield.

Aug 16, 2026 08:21 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Bodies on the line prevents Arsenal from scoring again

45+1' This has been some display from Arsenal. They scored seconds after kick-off, and could have scored seconds from half-time, if not for Manchester City throwing bodies on the line to get goalline clearances. And with that, it is half-time at the Principality Stadium.

See you on the other side for the second half.

Aug 16, 2026 08:17 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Nearly a third for Arsenal

43' Against the run of play, Arsenal nearly scored a third — which, almost certainly, would have put the tie to bed. Ben White's cross from the right finds Riccardo Calafiori unmarked on the left, but the Italian could not direct his attempt on target.

Aug 16, 2026 08:15 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Raya to the rescue, again

40' And now, the Manchester City knocks can be heard across the stadium. Doku's layoff finds Haaland, whose shot is saved acrobatically by David Raya. In another sequence, a City attempt is blocked by Ben White. They have been resolute in defence, have Arsenal.

Aug 16, 2026 08:11 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Haaland knocking

36' There have not been many box penetrations from Manchester City, but on this occasion, they had a decent chance. Jeremy Doku, who arguably has been City's brightest spot so far on an otherwise grim day, slots a pass for Erling Haaland, whose shot is well wide of the frame.

Aug 16, 2026 08:02 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: GOALLLL! Arsenal score again. 2-0.

28' A second for Arsenal, and you could smell this coming. Manchester City have had the ball in decent areas over the last 10 minutes or so, but Arsenal have looked menacing whenever they have had possession. A cross is floated in from the right by captain Martin Odegaard, and Tzolis jumps the highest to meet it. That was only a part of the equation — the second, and more crucial, was to lay it off for Kai Havertz. Tzolis did it effortlessly, and the German gets his shot past Donnarumma to make it 2-0 for Arsenal. Maresca won't be happy with his custodian.

Aug 16, 2026 07:55 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Excellent double save by Raya

20' David Raya shows why he is the defending Golden Glove winner. The Spaniard comes with a double save — first a long-ranger from Phil Foden, and then off the rebound, a fine reflex save. The flag eventually goes up for offside.

Aug 16, 2026 07:53 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Nearly an assist for Anderson

18' This could have been an assist on debut for Elliot Anderson. The England international whips in a delectable cross from the right flank, with Erling Haaland being the obvious target, but the Norwegian couldn't reach the cross.

Aug 16, 2026 07:49 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Arsenal claim a penalty; nothing doing

14' There's a penalty shout from Arsenal and Mikel Arteta is going absolutely bonkers. He thinks Gabriel has been found. There was some holding and pushing between Gabriel and Abdukodir Khushanov, but it can't be called a foul, let alone inside the box off a corner. Correct decision from the referee. In fact, he has given a foul against Gabriel there.

Aug 16, 2026 07:46 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: City lead possession, Arsenal lead everything else

12' As you would expect, Manchester City are dominating possession after going down inside the first 23 seconds. They have 74% ball possession. Yet, Arsenal look considerably more menacing when they have the ball. And, here comes a corner.

Aug 16, 2026 07:42 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Effervescent start from Arsenal

7' Arteta's team clearly have been the better side in the initial exchanges of the game. Another attempt was calmly gathered by Donnarumma, while from another break, Noni Madueke failed to capitalise. Captain Martin Odegaard has been the metronome thus far.

Aug 16, 2026 07:40 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: That might end MLS to Chelsea rumours

5' The discourse about Myles Lewis-Skelly in the buildup has been about a potential transfer to London rivals Chelsea. It has been reported that the lack of minutes is concerning the youngster. Now, on being handed a start, it didn't take him long to tell Mikel Arteta why he deserves more minutes.

Aug 16, 2026 07:36 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: GOAL! Early lead for Arsenal.

1' GOAL! Would you believe it? What a start for Arsenal. The Gunners are in dreamland. Manchester City don't know what struck them. Seconds after kick-off, Myles Lewis-Skelly threads a precise pass between two men in sky blue to find Riccardo Calafiori. If the assist was exquisite, the finish was sublime. Calafiori sends Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to place it calmly into the back of the net.

Aug 16, 2026 07:35 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Three Debuts

So, we have got as many as three debuts today. For the Premier League champions, Bruno Guimaraes will line up in midfield. The Brazilian was signed from Newcastle United. Christos Tzolis also starts on left wing. For Manchester City, Elliot Anderson will man the centre of the park.

Aug 16, 2026 07:33 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: The Teams

Arsenal: David Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Havertz, Tzolis.

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, Saka, Eze, Dowman, Gyokeres, Merino, Rice, Zubimendi, Saka.

Manchester City: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Anderson, Kovacic; Semenyo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

Substitutes: Ait-Nouri, Cherki, Grealish, Guehi, Lewis, Marmoush, Nico, Matheus Nunes, Rulli.

Aug 16, 2026 07:31 PM IST
Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026 Live Score: Hello and welcome!

It's Arsenal. It's Manchester City. And as Viktor Gyokeres said in an interview that has gone viral in the off season, this match can't possibly be seen as a pre-season friendly. Stay tuned for more updates.

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