Sturm Graz 0 - 2 Arsenal

Arsenal made it four wins from four pre-season games with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Sturm Graz at the Bad Waltersdorf Stadium on Wednesday night.

Jose Antonio Reyes scored from a penalty on the half hour and Francis Jeffers added another 16 minutes from time as the Premiership champions enjoyed the best of a game with few chances.

Arsene Wenger employed the same sort of squad to that in his previous games on the Austria/Slovenia tour. That meant no Euro 2004 players were used.

The visitors had the early pressure but in fact the first chance fell to Sturm. Ronald Brunmayr’s pass sent fellow striker Klaus Salmutter clear in the area but Manuel Almunia rushed out to block with his chest.

Captain Dennis Bergkamp responded a few minutes later by expertly controlling a chip over defence by Francesc Fabregas. The Dutchman then attempted to drift a shot over the backtracking keeper Radovan Radakovic but it fell on to the top of the net.

Bergkamp’s next major involvement was to prod a pass into the path of Reyes, who tumbled under the challenge of Gunter Neukircher. The Spaniard’s penalty was struck cleanly but keeper Radakovic choose the right way and the ball sneaked under his body.

Towards the end of the half, Strum perked up and Francisco Rojas sent Almunia scrambling across his goal with a deflected shot. There was no need, the ball sped well wide.

Both sides made wholesale changes at the break. Arsenal kept on four players, Sturm just one. As a result there was little flow in the second half. Experienced striker Mario Haas caused problems with his muscularity. For Arsenal, both Beveren triallists, Marco Ne and Emmanuel Eboue impressed, so did 17-year-old striker Arturo Lupoli, who replaced Van Persie midway through the half.

Eboue sent Aliadiere scurrying down the right in the 74th minute and the Frenchman’s cross was not cleared by the Sturm defence. Jeffers pounced to hook home from the edge of the six-yard box.