Arsenal completed their pre-season preparations with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Como after the two sides drew 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium, but the Serie A visitors produced a resilient performance against the Premier League champions.
Myles Lewis-Skelly opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 33rd minute before Martin Baturina equalised for Como ten minutes later with an excellent finish.
Neither team could find a decisive second goal after the break, sending the friendly to penalties.
David Raya then became Arsenal’s shootout hero, making two saves as the Gunners secured a 4-3 victory.
For bettors, the result offers some interesting early clues about both teams — but the biggest lesson may be not to underestimate Como as they prepare for another Serie A campaign.
Arsenal vs Como Result
Arsenal 1-1 Como (Arsenal win 4-3 on penalties)
Goals:
- Myles Lewis-Skelly — Arsenal, 33′
- Martin Baturina — Como, 43′
Penalty shootout: Arsenal won 4-3
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Lewis-Skelly gave Arsenal the advantage after 33 minutes, but Como responded before half-time.
Baturina produced the equaliser in the 43rd minute, ensuring Cesc Fàbregas’ team went into the interval level.
The second half brought opportunities but no further goals, meaning penalties were required to decide the friendly.
Lewis-Skelly Gives Arsenal the Lead
Lewis-Skelly provided one of Arsenal’s biggest positives of the evening.
The 19-year-old found the breakthrough in the 33rd minute and celebrated in front of the home support.
His performance arrived amid speculation surrounding his Arsenal future, making the goal an encouraging moment for both player and club.
Arsenal had fielded a side featuring plenty of first-team quality, but Como continued competing rather than allowing the Premier League champions to dominate proceedings.
That resilience eventually produced a deserved response.
Baturina Punishes Arsenal Before Half-Time
Como’s equaliser demonstrated exactly why the Italian side should not be overlooked.
Martin Baturina struck in the 43rd minute to bring the visitors level at 1-1.
The timing was important.
Rather than entering half-time chasing Arsenal, Como had responded to conceding and restored parity before the break.
It was another indication of the competitive mentality Cesc Fàbregas has developed within the Italian club.
For bettors assessing Como ahead of Serie A, their willingness to attack stronger opposition could make them particularly interesting in goals and handicap markets.
David Raya Makes the Difference in the Shootout
With the score still 1-1 after 90 minutes, the match moved to penalties.
That was where David Raya made the difference.
The Arsenal goalkeeper saved penalties from Álvaro Morata and Nikola Šmolčić as the Gunners eventually prevailed 4-3.
Noni Madueke was Arsenal’s only player to miss his attempt.
New signing Bruno Guimarães was among Arsenal’s successful penalty takers after appearing during the second half.
Although shootout results have limited relevance when assessing normal Premier League matches, Raya’s performance was another demonstration of the value an elite goalkeeper can provide in decisive situations.
Arsenal Prepare to Defend Their Premier League Title
The result concludes another important stage of Arsenal’s preparation as they get ready to defend their Premier League crown.
Pre-season is primarily about fitness, tactical preparation and integrating players rather than collecting results.
However, Arsenal will still take confidence from finishing the contest with a victory.
The Gunners have the added pressure that comes with entering a new season as defending champions.
Opponents will approach matches knowing Arsenal are one of the teams to beat, meaning Mikel Arteta’s side will need consistency throughout the campaign.
This friendly also provided another opportunity to assess squad depth and different combinations before competitive football returns.
Como Show Why They Could Be Dangerous in Serie A
While Arsenal took the victory, Como’s performance deserves significant attention.
Facing the Premier League champions away from home represented a demanding test, yet Fàbregas’ team remained competitive throughout the match.
They responded after falling behind, scored before half-time and forced Arsenal all the way to penalties.
For a team preparing for another ambitious Serie A campaign, that is encouraging.
Como’s recent development has made them one of Italian football’s most intriguing teams, and their performance at the Emirates suggests they could again prove difficult opponents.
From a betting perspective, that means automatically opposing Como when they face traditional Serie A heavyweights could be risky.
Their performances, team news and available odds should be assessed on a match-by-match basis.
Arsenal vs Como Betting Takeaways
1. Both Teams to Score could be worth monitoring
The friendly finished 1-1 after both sides demonstrated attacking quality.
Arsenal found their breakthrough through Lewis-Skelly, while Como showed they possessed enough attacking threat to respond.
That makes Both Teams to Score (BTTS) one market worth monitoring during the opening weeks of the Premier League and Serie A seasons.
It is not a recommendation based solely on this friendly.
Competitive form, opposition, injuries and starting line-ups should all be considered before making any betting decision.
2. Do not automatically underestimate Como
This may be the most important takeaway from the match.
Como were playing away against the reigning Premier League champions and still managed to remain level across 90 minutes.
Their ability to respond after conceding is particularly encouraging.
When Como face stronger Serie A opponents, markets such as Como +1.5 Asian Handicap, Double Chance or Both Teams to Score could therefore be worth assessing if the available odds offer sufficient value.
The emphasis should remain on assessing the price rather than assuming Como will produce the same result against every major opponent.
3. Arsenal remain dangerous at home
The Emirates has become an important advantage for Arsenal, and bettors should continue monitoring the Gunners’ home performances once competitive football begins.
Potential markets could include:
- Arsenal match winner
- Arsenal team goals
- Arsenal first-half result
- Arsenal to score in both halves
- Player shots and shots on target
- Anytime goalscorer
The strength of the opposition will significantly affect which of those markets provides genuine value.
4. David Raya remains important in tight matches
Raya’s two shootout saves decided the contest.
Penalty shootouts and normal league matches are very different betting environments, but the performance reinforces the importance of Arsenal’s goalkeeper when games become tight.
For Arsenal outright and match-result bettors, having a goalkeeper capable of producing decisive moments can matter during a long title campaign.
5. Arsenal’s attacking markets require some caution
Arsenal won the shootout, but they scored only once during regulation time.
That does not suddenly make the Gunners a weak attacking team.
It does demonstrate why bettors should avoid assuming that a strong favourite will automatically produce a high-scoring victory.
Markets such as Arsenal Over 2.5 team goals should therefore be assessed alongside the opponent’s defensive structure, team selection and recent competitive statistics rather than reputation alone.
What the Friendly Tells Bettors Ahead of the New Season
Pre-season football should be treated differently from competitive football.
Managers make numerous substitutions. Players have different fitness levels. Tactical experiments are common, and winning is not always the primary objective.
For that reason, Arsenal’s 4-3 shootout victory should not be used in isolation to predict their Premier League campaign.
The same applies to Como in Serie A.
What bettors can identify are patterns worth monitoring.
For Arsenal, those include squad depth, Lewis-Skelly’s attacking contribution and Raya’s reliability.
For Como, the major positive was their ability to remain competitive against elite opposition and respond after conceding.
Those trends become more meaningful if they continue during the opening competitive fixtures.
Arsenal and Como Offer a Taste of What Could Come
Arsenal ultimately claimed the victory, beating Como 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, but this was far from a straightforward evening for the Premier League champions.
Lewis-Skelly gave Arsenal the lead before Baturina’s impressive response demonstrated Como’s resilience.
Raya then settled the contest from the penalty spot.
For Arsenal, attention now turns towards defending their Premier League title and proving they can maintain the standards that took them to the top of English football.
For Como, the performance provides another reason for optimism ahead of Serie A.
And for bettors, the result provides several interesting markets to monitor — particularly Both Teams to Score, Arsenal home markets and Como handicap opportunities.
The key is not to overreact to one friendly.
Pre-season provides the clues. Competitive football determines whether those clues become genuine betting trends.
