Arsenal were crowned winners of the Barclays Asia Trophy after an impressive 3-1 win over Premier League rivals Everton. Arsenal controlled the majority of the game, and new signing Petr Cech proved his worth after putting in a good showing for the 51,000 strong crowd.
The Toffees were the side that started the brightest as their latest signing, Gerard Deulofeu, was causing problems for Arsenal in the opening ten minutes. The Spaniard danced his way down the right wing, before cutting in and dribbling through the Arsenal box, but his long cross to Arouna Kone was cleared well by Calum Chambers. Theo Walcott had the first real chance for the Gunners in the 19th minute when Hector Bellerín crossed the ball to an un-marked Walcott inside the penalty box, but his shot was well saved by Joel Robles.
However Walcott took his next chance well three minutes later as the English forward gave Arsenal the lead. Santi Cazorla chipped in a fantastic through ball over the Everton defence to spot out a dashing Walcott, who smashed the ball under Robles on the half-volley to give Arsenal the lead. Arsenal continued pressing the Everton goal as Mesut Özil and Aaron Ramsey linked up well on the edge of the penalty box, but the Welshman’s shot dragged wide of the goal.
Petr Cech was called into action for the first time in an Arsenal shirt in the 42nd minute after a Luke Garbutt free-kick found the head of Steven Naismith in front the face of goal, but the striker’s header was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Cech from close range. Kone volleyed the deflected rebound past a crowded area into an open net, but the flag was already up for offside on Gareth Barry.
Arsenal started the second-half as they ended the first, by pushing Everton up against the wall. Ramsey flicked Walcott through on goal in the 49th minute, however Walcott’s drag-back failed to meet anyone inside the box. Ramsey managed to win possession of the ball moments later, and his cross found Ozil lurking inside the box, however the German’s header flew inches wide of the post.
Everton were starting to find their feet in the half as Garbutt tested Cech from distance in the 52nd minute, but the left-back’s shot was easily beaten away by the new Arsenal shot stopper. Robles was next to be tested between the sticks as Cazorla fired from 20 yards out, but the Spanish 'keeper did well to deny the captain. Arsenal almost doubled their lead in the 54th minute after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played in a low cross to Olivier Giroud, the striker’s shot flew straight to Walcott inside the box, and Theo's resulting effort flashed inches wide of the far post.
Arsenal were in cruise control as Bellerín made a run into the box, before firing a powerful strike at goal, but Robles did well the tip the shot over that bar. However from the resulting corner, Cazorla doubled Arsenal’s lead. The north London team played a short corner and the ball found it’s way to the Spanish playmaker. After twisting and turning on the edge of the penalty box, Cazorla fired a left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the net, to double Arsenal’s lead in the 52nd minute.
Ozil all but wrapped the game up for the Gunners in the 62nd minute. The midfielder played a neat one-two with Cazorla on the edge of the penalty box to set the German through on goal, and the former Real Madrid man curled the ball around Robles from close range, to make it 3-0 to the Gunners. Despite Arsenal’s dominance, Everton managed to pull a goal back in the 75th minute through Ross Barkley. Oxlade-Chamberlain meaninglessly lost possession of the ball in the Arsenal half, and Barkley attacked the lose ball, before thumping the ball past Cech on the edge of the penalty box with a brilliant shot, to make it 3-1 with 15 minutes to go.
Everton could had pulled a second goal back moments later when Garbutt sent in a good free kick from close range to find the head of Barry, but his header flew straight to the hands of Cech. Chuba Akpom was unlucky not to make it 4-1 to the Gunners after the striker skipped past Tyias Browning to get one-on-one with Robles, but the youngster fluffed his chance, and the danger was cleared.
Arsenal now travel back to the Emirates Stadium to compete in the Emirates Cup, where Wenger's men will face Lyon and Wolfsburg, before taking on Chelsea in the Community Shield on the second of August.