Sport | Football
Hamburg win Emirates Cup but Arsenal steal show in Real clash
Hamburg may have topped the Emirates Cup league but it was Arsenal and Real Madrid that served up the feast of football to give the tournament the climax it deserved.
- By Duane Fonseca, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:25 August 4, 2008
- Image Credit: EPA
- Hamburg players hold the Emirates Cup after their 3-0 victory over Juventus was enough to take the title over second-placed Real Madrid.
London: Hamburg may have topped the Emirates Cup league but it was Arsenal and Real Madrid that served up the feast of football to give the tournament the climax it deserved.
A brace from Ivica Olic and a third from José Paolo Guerrero enabled Hamburg to thrash Juventus 3-0, and earn the seven points that took them top of the table.
The Emirates Cup awards the usual three points for a victory and gives bonus points for each goal scored.
Earlier, the German side had collected a point for the goal they scored during the 2-1 loss to Real.
At seven points they were two better than second-placed Real with Juventus and defending champions Arsenal finishing in joint third with four points each.
The opportunity to settle the showpiece Real-Arsenal game fell to Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor and he did so by placing his penalty sensationally over the outstretched Jerzy Dudek in Real's goal.
Adebayor celebrated; the Emirates Stadium celebrated; all that was said and done about the African's future in the past few weeks was forgotten.
Adebayor has signed an extension to his contract and will remain with Arsenal until the end of next season.
Played with finesse
What happens next year remains to be seen but for now Arsenal seem to have taken their football a step further under boss Arsene Wenger, playing with such finesse that at times it was hard to tell if they were indeed an English side.
Wenger's men took the game to the visitors with some classy one-touch football down the right flank, however none of the moves bore fruit.
Real defender Gabriel Heinze held his ground and kept all efforts out of the six-yard box.
New Arsenal signing Samir Nasri had a real chance after being let loose by Gael Clichy, but ran out of ideas and could not think beyond a cross, which found nobody.
It was only his third game for Arsenal, but the Frenchman showed he has the grace, along with pace and strength, to trouble some of the more experienced defenders across Europe.
Nasri was again in the thick the action after breaking through the centre mid-way through the second half.
Deciding not to go ahead on his own, he passed to Robin van Persie who crossed to Adebayor but the Togolese international heading over the crossbar.
After Arsenal had squandered a few more half-chances over the next five minutes, it was time for Real to attack.
It remains a pleasure to watch Spanish sides attack on the break and Real too delighted. First defender Pablo Garcia hit one that sailed just over the bar and then skipper Raul messed from short range
Penalty shout
Having rounded off Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia, Raul seemed to dive in search of a penalty, which he did not get, when all he had to do was tap in from 10 yards out.
When two world-class clubs lock horns there is either a deluge of goals or victory by that heartbreaking solitary goal.
For the majority of the game there was little between the sides until Adebayor broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half by converting the penalty Arsenal were awarded for a foul on Robin van Persie.
Arsenal coach Wenger was delighted having finally found their winning form at home.
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