▲ Tzolis on the break
English Premier League side Arsenal has made a refreshing start in its bid for consecutive league titles by convincingly defeating newly promoted Coventry City.
On August 21 local time, Arsenal secured a 3-0 victory over Coventry in the opening match of the 2026-2027 EPL season at Emirates Stadium in London, thanks to successive goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and team captain Martin Odegaard.
Havertz opened the scoring in the 15th minute of the first half, calmly finishing a cross from Riccardo Calafiori with a left-footed shot.
With this goal, he became the scorer of the first goal of the EPL season.
Just eight minutes later, Arsenal scored its second goal.
New signing Christos Tzolis sent a low cross from the left, which the goalkeeper parried, allowing Saka to immediately finish with his left foot to make it 2-0.
In the 4th minute of the second half, a mis-hit shot in front of the goal by Odegaard turned into the sealing goal.
The unintended nature of the shot actually threw off the goalkeeper's timing.
Although Coventry earned promotion after dominating the Championship (second tier) last season, they proved to be no match for EPL champions Arsenal.
Arsenal is now seeking the club's first consecutive EPL titles.
While the club achieved three straight top-flight titles back in 1935, it has never won back-to-back championships since the inception of the EPL.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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