Arsenal Lift Community Shield After Crushing Manchester City 3–0

 Arsenal Lift Community Shield After Crushing Manchester City 3–0 in Cardiff.

Arsenal Begin New Season With Trophy

Arsenal have opened the 2026/27 season in spectacular fashion, defeating Manchester City 3–0 to lift the FA Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday.

The victory gives the Gunners their first piece of silverware of the new campaign and provides an early statement of intent as Mikel Arteta's side prepare to defend their Premier League title.

Calafiori Strikes After Just 24 Seconds

Arsenal needed less than half a minute to take control.

Riccardo Calafiori fired the Gunners ahead after just 24 seconds, finishing from a clever pass by Myles Lewis-Skelly. The goal was reported as the fastest in Community Shield history.

Manchester City struggled to respond as Arsenal maintained the pressure and controlled large portions of the opening half.

Havertz Doubles Arsenal's Lead

Arsenal extended their advantage in the 28th minute when Kai Havertz headed home to make it 2–0.

The Gunners entered the interval firmly in command, while City's new manager Enzo Maresca faced a difficult first competitive match in charge.

Ødegaard Seals the Trophy

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard put the result beyond doubt shortly after the restart.

The Norwegian midfielder scored in the 48th minute to complete a convincing 3–0 victory.

A Strong Message From the Champions

The result will provide a major confidence boost for Arsenal ahead of their Premier League title defence.

The Gunners showed attacking sharpness, defensive organisation and midfield control throughout the match, while City's new-look team struggled to find a response.

For Arsenal, however, the Community Shield is more than simply a traditional season opener. It is their first trophy of 2026/27 — and an early indication that Arteta's team intends to compete for even more silverware.

Final Score

Arsenal 3–0 Manchester City

⚽ Riccardo Calafiori — 1'

⚽ Kai Havertz — 28'

⚽ Martin Ødegaard — 48'

Afroview TV Verdict: Arsenal could hardly have asked for a better start. The Community Shield is in the trophy cabinet, Manchester City have been emphatically beaten, and the Gunners have sent an early warning to their Premier League rivals.

Source: Match reports from ESPN, The Guardian and Manchester City FC.