River Plate 0 - 0 Arsenal

Arsenal’s first game of the Amsterdam Tournament ended in a drab goalless draw on Friday night.

Arsene Wenger’s side just about shaded the game against Argentinian outfit River Plate at the Amsterdam ArenA. But, in truth, the game hardly moved out of second gear throughout the 90 minutes.

Returning hero Dennis Bergkamp came closest to breaking the deadlock in the final few minutes. First, he steered a header just wide. Then his 89th-minute shot was blocked by Eduardo Tuzzio from close range.

Arsenal will complete their Amsterdam fixtures against hosts Ajax on Sunday night.

Wenger’s squad was virtually the same as it was for the games in Slovenia and Austria. None of the Euro 2004 players were used but midfielder Mathieu Flamini was named on the bench. It was the first match for the new signing from Marseille.

It was thankfully a cool night in the Amsterdam ArenA for this early evening kick-off. This was the first of two games tonight in the four-team tournament.

It was to be followed by Panathinaikos v Ajax at 9.15pm (local time). With the Ajax crowd waiting for their heroes, the impressive stadium seemed only half full at kick-off.

In previous pre-season games, Robin van Persie had figured mostly on the left of midfield. Tonight, Jose Antonio Reyes started in that position so the Dutchman began just behind Jeffers. To many that position is simply known as the “Bergkamp role”. The originator, a former Ajax hero, was on the bench.

It was Van Persie who fired the first ’sighter’ on goal, a rising shot from distance that flew a few yards over the crossbar in the sixth minute. Triallist Marco Ne had a similar effort a few minutes later, but otherwise it was a low-key affair.

Cuevas conjured up the first real effort for River Plate, but the fast-covering Jermaine Pennant rushed back to block his firmly-struck shot.

Reyes did his best to lift the tone in the 24th minute when he won the ball in midfield only to lose it and tumble to the floor. However, he recovered, robbed his tackler and skipped past a challenge before being denied by the keeper.

On the half-hour, Van Persie charged down a clearance and the ball ricocheted across the area to Pennant at the far post. The winger beat his marker and clipped a low cross for Jeffers at the near post. However, the former Everton striker, under pressure from Tuzzio, scrambled his effort wide.

River Plate had their moments as half-time approached. Daniel Luduena cracked a shot wide when he should have made the keeper save and 20-year-old Maximiliamo Lopez went close as well.

The Argentinian side continued to look more forceful after the interval with Cuevas darting to the byline before flashing a dangerous ball across the face of the goal.

Arsenal responded on the hour when Gael Clichy cleverly weighted a left-wing pass for the scampering Reyes, who cut inside before finding Jeffers 10 yards out. The striker swivelled neatly but could not find the target. Seconds later, Reyes set up fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas, who fired a few feet wide of goal.

It was the former Barcelona midfielder’s last contribution as he may way seconds later for Flamini, who slotted into central midfield.

That may have been a significant moment for the numerous travelling Arsenal fans but the home support were more interested in Bergkamp’s arrival. The Amsterdam ArenA afforded the warmest of welcomes to the 35-year-old striker when he replaced Jeffers.

However, even the legendary Dutchman could not lift a drab affair. Another substitute, Gilberto, nodded wide from Reyes corner but it was an isolated incident. This game had a distinctly pre-season feel.

Bergkamp nearly stole the plaudits, and the game, at the death when he headed just wide from Justin Hoyte’s cross in the 86th minute.

Three minutes later, the Dutchman controlled Reyes’ cross but, as he was about to pull the trigger, Tuzzio threw himself forward to block.