WHAT HAPPENED
Petr Cech saved two more penalties as we fought back to pip Chelsea in the International Champions Cup in Dublin.
Our goalkeeper denied Alvaro Morata from the spot in normal time and then kept out Rueben Loftus-Cheek’s penalty in the shootout - setting up Alex Iwobi to convert the winner.
That all followed a dramatic finale to the 90 minutes that saw Alex Lacazette score from close range with virtually the last kick of the match. It was a deserved equaliser after we forced Chelsea back in the second half.
The first half belonged largely to our London rivals and they took an early lead when Antonio Rudiger powered in an unchallenged header from Cesc Fabregas’ corner.
It almost got worse. The pacy Callum Hudson-Odoi got in behind Hector Bellerin, raced into the penalty area and was clipped as he checked back inside. But Cech flung himself to his right to deny Morata.
We came alive when Mesut Ozil got into the game, bending beautiful passes into the path of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and then Henrikh Mkhitaryan to help set up chances for Emile Smith Rowe and Aubameyang.
We stayed in the ascendancy from then onwards. Mkhitaryan had a deflected shot saved by Willy Caballero, Aubameyang had an effort blocked after a delicious flick from Ozil set him up, and substitute Lacazette was inches away from finding the bottom corner.
In the end the Frenchman did get his goal - and this time our penalties were all converted.
HOW IT HAPPENED
See how our penultimate pre-season game panned out with our play-by-play commentary.
FOUR THINGS WE NOTICED
Guendouzi, Cech, Bellerin and formations
RAMSEY REPLACED
Aaron Ramsey was taken out of the starting line-up as a precaution after picking up a minor calf problem during the warm-up and Sead Kolasinac was taken off injured in the second half.
None of the players who returned to training at the start of the week were included in the squad. That meant Lucas Torreira, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Granit Xhaka all stayed in London.
BACK IN IRELAND
This was our first visit to Ireland since March 1992, when Alan Smith scored in a 1-1 draw with Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
But we’d never before played on the site of the old Lansdowne Road - where the Aviva Stadium is now situated.
This was our record in Ireland ahead of the Chelsea game:
October 1948: Bohemians 0 Arsenal 6 (Rooke 3, Roper 2, McPherson), Dalymount Park
May 1950: Bohemians 2 Arsenal 5 (Lishman 3, Goring 2), Dalymount Park
March 1962: Bohemians 3 Arsenal 8 (Eastham 3, Skirton 3, Kinsella, Strong), Dalymount Park
April 1964: Dublin Select 0 Arsenal 2 (MacLeod, Skirton), Dalymount Park
February 1986: Shamrock Rovers 1 Arsenal 0, Glenmalure Park
August 1986: Shamrock Rovers 0 Arsenal 2 (Davis, Rix), Glenmalure Park
August 1986: Waterford 1 Allinson 1 (Allinson), Kilcohan Park
August 1989: Bohemians 1 Arsenal 2 (Richardson, Campbell), Dalymount Park
March 1992: Shelbourne 1 Arsenal 1 (Smith), Tolka Park
WHAT’S NEXT
Our pre-season programme concludes on Saturday with a friendly against Lazio in Stockholm.
Then it’s all eyes on the big Premier League kick-off - Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.
Friends Arena in Stockholm - the venue for Saturday's match against Lazio
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