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Pre-season Friendlies
Aug 3, 2013 at 4.20pm UK
 
NL

2-2

Giroud (72'), Koscielny (86')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Insigne (7'), Pandev (28')

Arsenal held by Napoli

:Headline: Result: Arsenal held by Napoli: ID:96580: from db_amp
Arsenal come from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Napoli at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have come from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw with Napoli at the Emirates Stadium.

Report Gunners target Gonzalo Higuain, who swapped Real Madrid for Napoli this summer, was named among the substitutes for the Italian outfit, but another new signing Jose Callejon was among the starters for the away side.

Serge Gnabry had a fine chance to send Arsenal ahead inside three minutes, but the German could only curl his effort wide of Pepe Reina's post.

A mistake from Carl Jenkinson allowed Napoli to take the lead after seven minutes, however, with Lorenzo Insigne collecting a loose header from the Gunners defender before firing his effort into the bottom corner.

Reina presented Gnabry with a half-chance after 14 minutes following a poor clearance, but the youngster could only find the top of the net with his floating effort.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty on 17 minutes when Valon Behrami was adjudged to have brought down Kieran Gibbs in the box, but Lukas Podolski's effort was saved by Reina.

Napoli had a penalty shout of their own moments later, but the referee was not interested despite Gibbs seemingly committing a foul on Goran Pandev inside the box.

However, Pandev made up for that disappointment with a goal, curling a fine effort into the top corner just short of the half-hour mark.

Insigne had another chance in the latter stages of the half, but the Italian's effort moved just wide of the post before Podolski fired off target at the other end.

Jack Wilshere had a fine chance to cut the deficit for Arsenal in the early stages of the second period, but the England midfielder could only turn his effort wide of the post.

Olivier Giroud and Podolski both had half-chances for the Gunners just before the hour mark, but neither could find a way past Reina in the Napoli goal.

Both sides made changes as the match entered the last 20 minutes, with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among the players entering the field for Arsenal.

Arsenal did open their account 18 minutes from time, however, when a bicycle kick from Giroud ended up in the bottom corner, albeit via a deflection from Bacary Sagna.

The Gunners, who increased the tempo in the final stages, eventually found the equaliser in the 86th minute when Laurent Koscielny headed home from close range.

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last updated article - 2013-08-04 00:18:29:
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