VIDEO: How not to kick a doll, or Arsenal’s penalty shootout with Lyon, which the legend of Czechoslovak football may never see

While football’s biggest stars are battling it out at the World Cup in Qatar, Premier League teams are slowly preparing to return to league pace. Arsenal won 3-0 against Lyon in the Dubai Super Cup opener, but the ensuing penalty shootout caused more of a stir than the match itself.

Arsenal’s match against Lyon was clearly the favourite. Gabriel Magalhaes header, Eddie Nketiah’s shot into a half empty net and Fabio Vieira’s beautiful shot from the edge of the box gave the Gunners a 3-0 win.

After the end of the game, a penalty shootout was followed by a bonus point for the table. And they were similar to the shootout at the World Cup in Qatar. Dominated by the goalkeepers and especially by the terrible play of the enforcers.

Marquinhos sent Arsenal into the lead in the first series, while Jeff Reine-Adelaide was saved by 20-year-old Estonian Karl Hein. Matt Smith increased the lead for Arsenal, and Thiago Mendes adjusted the score to 1:2 after two series.

Romanian talent Cătălin Cîrjan tried a dummy, but the Lyon goalkeeper didn’t jump and caught the ball with ease. The goalkeepers also celebrated against three other scorers, with Hein intervening twice and Kayne Bonnevie doing well in goal for the French side.

In the final series, Reuell Walters could have sealed Arsenal’s triumph, but he sent the ball high over. Nineteen-year-old Rayan Cherki, who is already playing for the France Under-21 national team, was confident at the crucial moment, but he didn’t follow the goalkeeper’s movement at all and Hein just caught the ball in his arms.

Arsenal still have a game against AC Milan at the Dubai Super Cup, while Lyon will play Liverpool. The winner will be the club with the most points in the final showdown.

A win in the match guarantees three points, a draw two points for both teams and the more successful in the shootout gets an extra point.

Source: YouTube