September 1, 2026 | 05:57 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A solitary goal from winger Bukayo Saka secured a 1-0 victory for Arsenal over hosts Aston Villa in a 2026/2027 Premier League match at Villa Park, Birmingham, early Tuesday morning, Western Indonesian Time (WIB).
According to the Premier League website as cited by Antara, Saka scored in the 59th minute. The result places Arsenal second in the provisional league standings with six points from two matches.
They trail Manchester City only on goal difference; City has recorded six goals compared to Arsenal's four.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa has yet to recover from a string of poor results. Previously, in their opening match of the season, Unai Emery's squad was thrashed 4-0 away by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Facing Villa, Arsenal immediately dominated the early stages. The Gunners troubled the Villa defense several times through set-piece situations, including a header from Gabriel Magalhaes that the hosts managed to deal with.
Villa responded through Emiliano Buendia. The Argentine midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area that struck the Arsenal crossbar.
The hosts had another opportunity after Christos Tzolis lost possession near the penalty area. Buendia took control and played the ball to Nicolas Jackson, but the striker failed to reach it.
Approaching halftime, Arsenal appealed for a penalty after Riccardo Calafiori was brought down by Pau Torres inside the box; however, the referee ruled that no foul had occurred. The score remained 0-0 at the break.
In the second half, Aston Villa created the first chance through Ian Maatsen, but his shot went wide.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 59th minute by Saka, whose goal gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead after finishing off an attack from the left flank.
Gabriel Magalhaes and Ezequiel Eze built up the play before Riccardo Calafiori delivered a cut-back pass across the face of the goal. Saka was perfectly positioned to meet the ball with a close-range finish that Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was unable to stop.
Villa then found themselves at the center of another refereeing controversy. Kai Havertz appealed for a penalty after appearing to be fouled by Boubacar Kamara, but play was allowed to continue.
Moments later, it was Villa's turn to claim a penalty following a suspected handball by Ben White. However, the referee again declined to award a spot-kick.
Arsenal nearly doubled their lead in the closing stages. Havertz broke through in a one-on-one situation and had a golden opportunity, but Suzuki made a crucial save to deny the Arsenal forward.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreline remained unchanged. Arsenal secured the three points with a 1-0 victory.
Line-ups
Aston Villa: Zion Suzuki (GK), Matty Cash (Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 78'), Victor Lindelof, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen, Boubacar Kamara, George Hemmings (Alysson Edward, 71'), John McGinn (captain), Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendia, Nicolas Jackson (Tammy Abraham, 71').
Arsenal: David Raya (GK), Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cristhian Mosquera (Ezri Konsa, 79'), Ben White, Declan Rice (Martin Zubimendi, 85'), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Bruno Guimaraes, 71'), Christos Tzolis (Eberechi Eze, 46'), Martin Odegaard (captain; Mikel Merino, 71'), Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz.
(*)
Barcelona Close to Signing Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus for EUR 10 Million
22 jam lalu
Barcelona are close to signing Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus for EUR 10 million after their pursuit of Julian Alvarez stalled.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Premier League Signings 2026-27
3 hari lalu
Discover the highest-paid new Premier League signings for the 2026-27 season, featuring big earners at Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham.
Full Matchweek 1 Schedule for Premier League 2026/2027
11 hari lalu
The first week of the 2026/2027 Premier League season is set to kick off Friday night. Here's the full schedule.
How Arsenal Beats Manchester City to Community Shied Title
14 hari lalu
Arsenal kicked off their 2026/2027 season with a Community Shield title after thrashing Manchester City 3-0 at Principality Stadium.
Arsenal Defeat Como on Penalties to End Pre-Season With a Win
18 hari lalu
Arsenal concluded their 2026/27 pre-season by defeating Como 1907 4-3 on penalties at the Emirates Stadium in London on Thursday.
Dortmund Beat Arsenal 3-2 to Win Emirates Cup
21 hari lalu
Borussia Dortmund beat Arsenal 3-2 in the Emirates Cup, despite the Gunners winning the post-match penalty shootout 5-4 at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Suffer First Pre-Season Defeat After 3-1 Loss to Real Betis
25 hari lalu
Arsenal suffered their first pre-season defeat after losing 3-1 to Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday.
Which Clubs Have the Most Players in the 2026 World Cup Semifinals?
49 hari lalu
Beyond the international rivalry, the World Cup also highlights which clubs become football's biggest talent factories.
France: Police Detain Many After PSG Champions League Win
31 Mei 2026
Soccer fans flooded the famed Champs-Elysees and riots took place in the French capital after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the Champions League final
Arsenal Manager Arteta: 'PSG Are the Best Team in the World'
31 Mei 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as the best team in the world after defeating his team to win Champions League.
