Arsenal thrash Manchester City to kick off the season with the Community Shield title

Arsenal clinched the English Community Shield title with a resounding 3-0 victory over Manchester City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, marking a strong start to the new season.

The Premier League champions needed just 24 seconds to open the scoring. Riccardo Calafiori capitalized on a brilliant through ball from Miles Lewis-Skelly, going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into the net – the fastest Community Shield goal since 1968.

Arsenal continued their dominance, and Kai Havertz doubled their lead in the 28th minute with a header from a Christos Tzolis cross. Mikel Arteta’s men went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.

Just minutes into the second half, Martin Ødegaard delivered a third blow to Manchester City, capitalizing on a pass from Tzolis before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to seal his team’s victory.

With this win, Arsenal sends a strong message ahead of the Premier League season, having already secured a new title, while Manchester City suffers a significant setback in their first competitive match under manager Maresca.