Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close
The game wrapped up the 2025 Singapore Festival of Football, which also featured a game between Arsenal and Italian giants AC Milan on July 23, with the London side winning 1-0.
The crowd on July 27 was a marked improvement from the 22,813 that turned up for the first game, although there were still swathes of empty seats visible. Those who did turn up were treated to an unveiling of new Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swede, who signed for a reported £55 million (S$94 million), had been announced by the Gunners on July 26, and received rapturous applause from the Arsenal supporters as he strolled out onto the pitch at Kallang in an Arsenal kit with the number 14 emblazoned on the back of his jersey.
The action on the pitch, too, was an upgrade from the somewhat plodding football that was on display at times in the Arsenal-Milan game.
Newcastle's own new £55 million recruit Anthony Elanga opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but Arsenal responded with quickfire double in the 33rd and 35th minutes through Mikel Merino and an own goal from young Newcastle defender Alex Murphy. Arsenal striker Kai Havertz, perhaps playing with a point to prove, created both goals.
Jacob Murphy equalised for Newcastle in the second half with a low shot from outside the box, before Dowman, who had been Arsenal's brightest spark after coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute, earned a penalty after he was fouled by Joelinton, following a mesmerising run into the box.
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard coolly converted the spot-kick, which proved to be the winner, in the 84th minute.
Before this match, the Gunners last came to Singapore in 2018 for the International Champions Cup, where they faced Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.
The Magpies, meanwhile, last visited Singapore in since 1996, when a side featuring Faustino Asprilla, David Ginola and Les Ferdinand thumped an S-League All-Stars team 5-0 in front of 41,000 fans at the old National Stadium.
The 2025 Singapore Festival of Football is the first instalment in a five-year partnership between promoters TEG Sport and the Singapore Tourism Board that will also see top European clubs play in Singapore in 2027 and 2029.
Full report to follow.
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