Arsenal ease to Community Shield victory against Manchester City

Arsenal have won the Community Shield for the first time since 2004 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.

The Gunners started the match brightly, and they were rewarded on 21 minutes when Santi Cazorla took advantage of some sloppy City defending to fire the ball into the bottom corner.

Arsene Wenger's side should have made it 2-0 soon after, but Yaya Sanogo could only shoot past the post with just Willy Caballero to beat.

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Cazorla and the lively Sanogo had further chances for Arsenal during the opening half, while Samir Nasri was denied by a last-ditch challenge from Calum Chambers at the other end.

Nasri was made to pay for failing to find the net as his former club tightened their grip on the game with three minutes remaining in the half, when Aaron Ramsey was picked out by Sanogo before firing low into the net.

City started the second period in positive fashion, pushing Arsenal back in a way that was rarely seen during the opening 45 minutes.

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Manuel Pellegrini's side came close to pulling a goal back on 55 minutes through Stevan Jovetic, but the striker's header came back off the woodwork and he was denied moments later by Wojciech Szczesny.

It was Arsenal who scored the next goal on the hour thanks to a powerful 25-yard effort from substitute Olivier Giroud that flew past the helpless Caballero.

City toiled late on in an attempt to reduce the deficit, though their afternoon was summed up when Jovetic put his acrobatic volley high into the stand behind the goal.