Galatasaray won the Emirates Cup on Sunday with a dramatic 2-1 victory over hosts Arsenal.
Theo Walcott gave the Gunners a first-half lead before substitute Didier Drogba grabbed a contentious equaliser from the penalty spot with 12 minutes to play.
The former Chelsea striker then fired home a winner with two minutes left on the clock to give the Turkish champions the title.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the action unfolded.
Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of today's match in the Emirates Cup between hosts Arsenal and Turkish champions Galatasaray.
The pre-season tournament has been full of entertainment so far, with plenty of goals and action from all sides. The Gunners came from 2-0 down on Saturday to earn a 2-2 draw with Napoli, while Galatasaray saw off Porto 1-0 thanks to Felipe Melo's penalty.
Before these two teams take to the pitch, the tournament's penultimate fixture is currently being played out by Napoli and Porto. That one's 1-1 at the moment with about 20 minutes to go.
Now then, if you're not familiar with the Emirates Cup, there's a fairly interesting points system to go with this tournament. Teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a goal, but they also get an additional point for every goal scored.
We've got some team news coming in...
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Sagna, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla; Walcott, Sanogo
ARSENAL SUBS: Martinez, Miquel, Koscielny, Zelalem, Podolski, Giroud, Akpom
So, Arsene Wenger has made a total of seven changes to his starting lineup as Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott and Yaya Sanogo all come in. This will be the first time that Sanogo has played in front of the Arsenal fans following his summer move from Auxerre.
If you don't know a great deal about the 20-year-old Frenchman, here he is in action:
No word of the Galatasaray team yet, but former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue is expected to captain them. It's fair to say that, while he will be given a warm response from Gunners fans, they're probably glad that he's in the colours of another team nowadays.
GALATASARAY STARTING XI: Muslera; Melo, Hamit, Elmander, Riera, Umut, Chedjou, Semih, Eboue, Engin, Amrabat
Two names you'll notice that are missing from that Gala starting lineup are Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba. Both men are on the bench.
Arsenal fans are probably breathing another sigh of relief to see Drogba not in the starting lineup. The striker had an absurd goalscoring record against the Gunners when he was a Chelsea player. As this video demonstrates...
UPDATE: It's full time in the match between Napoli and Porto and it's the Portuguese champions who have ran out 3-1 winners. Here's out match report, hot off the (cyber) press: Napoli 1-3 Porto
So, what does that result mean for the rest of the tournament? Well, Porto are now top of the table on six points, while Galatasaray sit above Napoli on goal difference with four points. That leaves Arsenal at the bottom of the standings on three points, but the trophy is still very much up for grabs if the Gunners can win.
Even a 1-0 victory for Arsenal would see them lift the trophy for a fourth time. Hey - silverware is silverware...
So then, how do you see this one going? Can Arsenal give their fans some cheer ahead of the new season by winning the tournament? Their opponents today have plenty of quality and are sure to put up a fight, but Wenger has named a strong starting linuep that should pick up the victory. However, it's never straightforward with Arsenal...
Good news for the neutral is that there's plenty of fans crammed into the Emirates Stadium, with a lot of noise coming from the Galatasaray fans. They're known for their fervent support and it looks like they are flying the flag high this afternoon.
Not long to go until this one gets underway, the players should be out shortly...
Here come the teams, out of the tunnel and into the beautiful, sun-drenched arena that is the Emirates Stadium. The fans are certainly up for this as they make plenty of noise on the arrival of the players.
It'll be Galatasaray to get this game underway. Here we go!
CHANCE! Nearly a goal straight away for new boy Sanogo as he is gifted the ball by Melo, but his low effort is saved by Muslera. That could have been some start.
This has been a great opening from the Gunners. They're looking to get forward whenever they get the ball, and they look just a touch sharper than the Gala players.
Arsenal are appealing for a penalty after a scramble in the box sees Ramsey go to ground, but referee Jon Moss waves away the appeals. To be fair, it was the right decision as Ramsey looked to have almost unintentionally clipped his own legs there.
Gala have failed to settle here. Whenever they get the ball they either give it away cheaply or are hustled out of it by the Arsenal midfield. Fans of the Gunners will be very pleased with what they've seen so far.
Just as I say that, the Turkish champions start to enjoy their best spell of the opening stages. Nothing too fancy, just passing the ball about in defence and midfield to make sure everyone gets a feel.
Interesting to see Rafael Benitez is still mooching about the stadium, sitting up in the stands talking on his mobile. At least that's what he's trying to do. Looks like he's struggling for reception.
Arsenal show plenty of patience around the area, passing it about with a touch of menace, but the move breaks down as Arteta overhits it to Walcott.
The visitors get a sniff at goal through Elmander as the former Bolton Wanderers striker sees his tame effort on the angle easily collected by Szczesny.
MISS! Walcott really should be doing better there. He's picked out with a wonderful searching ball from Ramsey, but he can only poke it wide from inside the area with a defender snapping at his heels. The England international would be expected to at least have hit the target.
Gala continue to play a dangerous game in this match, letting Arsenal attack them while trying to striker on the counter-attack. Amrabat get half a chance in front of goal, only to have his effort deflected into the waiting arms of Szczesny.
The Tuks carve out another half chance soon after, but Szczesny is quick off his line to gather the ball following Altintop's pass through to Eboue.
A few familiar groans of discontent ring out around the Emirates as Oxlade-Chamberlain's weak cross is cut out by the Gala defence. It's been a decent match so far, but the chances have certainly been few and far between.
CHANCE! Just as I say that, the Gunners test Muslera in the visiting goal. Cazorla was afforded plenty of time to run from midfield before floating in a teasing cross towards Walcott that Muslera did well to palm away. The goalkeeper had to get to that or Walcott would have had a simple tap in at the back post.
SUBSTITUTION: Gala are forced into an early change as Engin Baytar, who looks to have picked up a knock, comes off for Ceyhun Gulselam.
Arsenal win themselves a corner, but Walcott's kick does little to trouble the away side.
A chorus of boos suddenly erupts inside the stadium as a certain Didier Drogba wamrs up on the touchline for Gala. Should be a laugh if he comes on later...
Anyway, back to the game, as Walcott does well to whip in a cross from the right that is greeted by not a single red shirt. Gibbs then picks up the ball and tries to make inroads into the penalty area, only to lose the ball without much of a fight.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 GALATASARAY (WALCOTT)
And, like that, Arsenal take the lead through Theo Walcott. To be fair, it's a bit of an odd goal as the winger's cross from the left evades everyone before floating into the far corner. He looks a touch embarrassed, but they all count.
Credit to the away side - if anything, the goal has woken them up a bit. They've launch a couple of attacks since going behind, though Arsenal stand firm at the back to maintain their lead. Meanwhile, Sanogo blasts the ball high and wide at the other end.
HALF TIME: ARSENAL 1-0 GALATASARAY
So, Arsenal lead at the break in this Emirates Cup tie 1-0 thanks to Theo Walcott's fortuitous goal minute before the half-time whistle. It wasn't the most eye-catching opening 45 minutes of football you'll ever see but, as it stands, the Gunners will be getting their hands on the trophy for the fourth time.
Arsenal certainly deserve their lead as they looked sharper and more attack-minded during that first half. Gala looked occasionally menacing on the counter-attack, but there's been nothing from them to suggest they'll go on to win this one. However, there is Didier Drogba on the bench...
What would have pleased Arsene Wenger in that first half is the contribution of Yaya Sanogo. The French youngster looked hungry for the ball and always looked forward whenever he got the ball.
Here come the teams then and Gala have made some changes as Drogba and Wesley Sneijder both come on. Emre Colak has also been introduced. Arsenal, who have kept the same starting XI, get the second half underway.
SAVE! From nowhere, Gala break with Amrabat and his low effort is pushed away by Szczesny for a corner - which comes to nothing. Drogba was in a great position to receive a pass from Amrabat, and he lets his teammate know it.
CHANCE! This is more like it! Oxlade-Chamberlain gets round the back of the Gala defence, but his cross is collected down low by Muslera with Sanogo waiting in the middle.
Gala are looking like a different side in this second half with Drogba and Sneijder on the pitch. Arsenal seem aware of the danger and maybe aren't so keen on committing too many men forward.
A moment of panic there among the Arsenal fans as Drogba gets the ball in the area by chesting down Colak's cross. However, he's crowded out and the move breaks down. The striker is picked out again soon after, but his outrageous effort from the tightest of angles fails to test Szczesny.
It's the away support who are making all the noise inside the stadium at the moment. They are absolutely rocking.
WHOOSH! Colak is the latest Gala player to have a crack at goal as his wild effort flies high and wide. Drogba took up another good position there and looked slightly annoyed that he wasn't picked out.
SUBSTITUTION: Arsenal make two changes now as Santi Cazorla and Yaya Sanogo are replaced by Gedion Zelalem and Olivier Giroud.
It's Drogba's turn to show his (sometimes) admirable defensive skills as he heads the ball away powerfully from a corner.
SUBSTITUTION: Gala freshen things up as Felipe Melo comes off for Sabri Sarioglu.
SAVE! Giroud, who has been in great form during pre-season, has his first crack at goal with a fierce low drive that's held by Muslera.
SUBSTITUTION: Another swap for Arsenal here as Ignasi Miquel is brought on in place of Kieran Gibbs.
SAVE! Close again for Giroud as his header from Walcott's free kick is well held by Muslera. You wouldn't bet against the Frenchman adding to his pre-season tally by the end of the day.
SAVE! Gala's turn to have a crack at goal as Sneijder's ferocious, dipping drive is pushed away by Szczesny. It looked to be heading for the top corner, that one.
The Turks get a free kick out on the left after Drogba is bundled over (much to the delight of the Arsenal fans), but Sneijder's delivery is a poor one that goes straight into the waiting gloves Szczesny.
PENALTY TO GALATASARAY!
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 GALATASARAY (DROGBA)
Gala are level thanks to the dodgiest penalty you are likely to see for a while. Drogba is bundled over in the area by Miquel, but it's a soft decision as the striker is barely touched by the defender. However, the Ivorian dusts himself down to send Szczesny the wrong way.
SUBSTITUTION: Arsenal are throwing caution to the wind here, bringing on Lukas Podolski and Chuba Akpom for Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey. Can they grab a winner?
CHANCE! Big opportunity for Gala to take the lead as the ball bobbles to Amrabat inside the box, but his left-footed shot is a wild one that sails over the crossbar. He looks annoyed with himself.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-2 GALATASARAY (DROGBA)
Would you believe it? Drogba has his second goal and it's likely to be a winning one. Sneijder picks his teammate out with a lovely floated cross and the striker takes a brilliant first touch before rifling the ball into the net from inside the box. Wonderful stuff.
FULL TIME: ARSENAL 1-2 GALATASARAY
The full-time whistle goes and Galatasaray have a dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal thanks to two goals from substitute Didier Drogba. The former Chelsea striker made all the difference in the second half with fellow sub Wesley Sneijder after Theo Walcott had given the Gunners the lead.
What that means is Gala have won this year's Emirates Cup. It looked like Porto were going to get their hands on the trophy, but Drogba's late brace has seen the Turks take the title.
Anyway, that's all from us for now. We hope that you've enjoyed this afternoon's action and remember that you can keep up to date with all of the latest football news here on Sports Mole. Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
