Arsenal were pushed all the way by Como before eventually claiming a 4-3 penalty shootout victory following an entertaining 1-1 draw after 90 minutes in their club friendly.
Myles Lewis-Skelly put Arsenal ahead in the 33rd minute after being set up by Gabriel Martinelli, but the Gunners’ advantage lasted only ten minutes. Martin Baturina struck for Como in the 43rd minute, with Mattia Liberali providing the assist.
Neither side found a winner in the second half despite a long list of substitutions, sending the contest to penalties.
That was where Arsenal held their nerve.
Four successful penalties proved enough for the Gunners as Como missed twice, allowing Arsenal to seal a 4-3 shootout victory.
Arsenal vs Como First Half: Lewis-Skelly Breaks the Deadlock
The opening goal arrived in the 33rd minute through Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Gabriel Martinelli provided the assist as Lewis-Skelly found the breakthrough to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead.
Como, however, refused to allow the Premier League side to take control of the contest.
With half-time approaching, Martin Baturina leveled matters in the 43rd minute. Mattia Liberali created the opportunity, and Baturina made it count to restore parity.
The teams consequently headed into the break level.
Half-time: Arsenal 1-1 Como
First-Half Goals
- 33′ – Arsenal 1-0 Como: Myles Lewis-Skelly (assist: Gabriel Martinelli)
- 43′ – Arsenal 1-1 Como: Martin Baturina (assist: Mattia Liberali)
Second Half Produces Changes but No Goals
Both teams made extensive changes after the interval, as expected in a friendly fixture.
Arsenal introduced Martin Odegaard, Bruno Guimaraes, Cristhian Mosquera and David Raya at the start of the second half.
More changes followed around the hour mark, with Riccardo Calafiori, Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz and Ben White among those entering the action.
Como also rotated heavily. Maxence Caqueret replaced first-half goalscorer Baturina, while players including Ivan Smolcic, Jesus Rodriguez, Alvaro Morata, Adrian Lahdo and Nicolas Kuhn were given opportunities.
Despite the fresh legs on both sides, the decisive second goal never arrived.
The second half finished goalless, leaving the score at Arsenal 1-1 Como after 90 minutes.
Gyokeres and Havertz Feature for Arsenal
Viktor Gyokeres was among the notable Arsenal players involved in the match.
Gyokeres replaced Gabriel Jesus in the 32nd minute before eventually making way for Kai Havertz in the 62nd minute.
Fabio Vieira also entered in the 32nd minute, replacing Eberechi Eze, before Noni Madueke took Vieira’s place after 62 minutes.
The numerous substitutions allowed Arsenal to test different combinations and to give minutes to a wide selection of players.
For supporters following Arsenal from Tanzania and across East Africa, the variety of established names and emerging talents made the friendly particularly interesting despite the lack of second-half goals.
Arsenal Win Penalty Shootout 4-3
With the scores locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, penalties were required to determine the winner.
Martin Odegaard converted Arsenal’s first attempt before Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes also scored.
Como’s first two takers, Luis Milla and Maxence Caqueret, successfully converted their penalties. However, Ivan Smolcic missed Como’s third attempt.
Noni Madueke then failed to convert Arsenal’s fourth penalty, allowing Como to recover. Jesus Rodriguez scored, keeping the shootout alive.
The decisive moment arrived in the fifth round.
Alvaro Morata missed Como’s penalty before Christos Tzolis converted for Arsenal, sealing a 4-3 shootout victory.
Arsenal vs Como Penalty Results
| Arsenal | Result | Como | Result |
| Martin Odegaard | Scored | Luis Milla | Scored |
| Kai Havertz | Scored | Maxence Caqueret | Scored |
| Bruno Guimaraes | Scored | Ivan Smolcic | Missed |
| Noni Madueke | Missed | Jesus Rodriguez | Scored |
| Christos Tzolis | Scored | Alvaro Morata | Missed |
Penalty shootout: Arsenal 4-3 Como
Arsenal vs Como Match Summary
Result after 90 minutes: Arsenal 1-1 Como
Penalty shootout: Arsenal 4-3 Como
Arsenal goalscorer: Myles Lewis-Skelly (33′)
Como goalscorer: Martin Baturina (43′)
Half-time: Arsenal 1-1 Como
Second-half score: 0-0
Winner: Arsenal on penalties
What Can Arsenal Take From the Como Friendly?
The result may have come in a friendly, but Arsenal can still take several positives from the contest.
Most importantly, the Gunners found a way to win after being tested for the full 90 minutes. Penalty shootouts demand composure, and four successful Arsenal attempts ultimately proved decisive.
The match also offered an opportunity to experiment.
A significant number of substitutions allowed different players to operate together, while the involvement of both established stars and younger members of the squad provided further options to assess.
There will nevertheless be areas for improvement. Arsenal scored only once during normal time, while Como demonstrated their threat by responding just ten minutes after Lewis-Skelly’s opener.
For Arsenal, therefore, the friendly offered both encouragement and useful lessons.
Plenty of Interest for Arsenal Fans in Tanzania
Arsenal enjoy considerable support across Tanzania and East Africa, making matches involving the Gunners a major attraction for local Premier League followers.
This contest delivered plenty for those supporters to discuss.
Lewis-Skelly found the net, several major Arsenal names received playing time, Como provided stubborn opposition and the eventual winner had to be decided from the penalty spot.
Friendly results do not carry league points or trophies, but performances in these matches can indicate squad depth, player combinations, and tactical possibilities.
Arsenal ultimately passed the test—even if they needed penalties to do it.
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Conclusion: Arsenal Hold Their Nerve Against Como
Arsenal may not have secured the victory inside 90 minutes, but they ultimately found a way past a determined Como side.
Myles Lewis-Skelly opened the scoring after 33 minutes before Martin Baturina equalized shortly before half-time. A goalless second half then pushed the contest into a penalty shootout.
There, Arsenal were more clinical.
Como’s missed penalties from Ivan Smolcic and Alvaro Morata proved costly, while Christos Tzolis converted Arsenal’s decisive fifth attempt to complete the victory.
Final score: Arsenal 1-1 Como. Arsenal wins 4-3 on penalties.
For Arsenal supporters in Tanzania, it was ultimately a friendly that delivered competitive football, plenty of squad experimentation and a dramatic winning finish.
