Bruno Guimaraes makes Arsenal debut as Gunners draw with Como in pre-season

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bruno-guimaraes/xtyKanzU/"]Guimaraes[/a], signed for a reported £75 million from top-flight rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a] last week, was introduced at half-time after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewis-skelly-myles/bDeyKrHT/"]Myles Lewis-Skelly[/a]'s opening goal for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] had been cancelled out by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baturina-martin/0WWy1lhR/"]Martin Baturina[/a].[/p][p]Lewis-Skelly's goal, which followed a poor pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fabregas-cesc/YXIDwoe5/"]Como[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/butez-jean/QHLJe7td/"]Jean Butez[/a], came amid reports the teenage midfielder could be leaving Arsenal.[/p][p]The 19-year-old celebrated his goal by making a heart gesture with his hands, in Arsenal's last friendly before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=jNXdfeGb"]Sunday's Community Shield against Manchester City.[/a][/p][p]Guimaraes received a warm welcome from the home fans but the Gunners were unable to find a winner after Baturina fired past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arrizabalaga-kepa/Yq2dyUwN/"]Kepa Arrizabalaga[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/como/ttyLthOA/"]Como[/a]'s equaliser before half-time.[/p][p][b]"He only had three training sessions, but he looked good," [/b]said Arsenal manager Mikel [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Arteta[/a] of Guimaraes. [b]"He was really pushing to play some minutes today.[/b][/p][p][b]"I think he wanted to get his debut and the feeling of playing in front of our fans immediately.[/b][/p][p][b]"And, yeah, you sense immediately, I believe, a strong connection at play that is going to make us better."[/b][/p][embed guid="6db97bca-e744-47d8-b360-e2bcadf41932" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2087628371983536548" social-type="twitter" /][p]Gunners midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Mikel Merino[/a], looking ahead to the Community Shield, told the club's social media channels: [b]"It's another final and we want to win, we want to give the fans more happiness.[/b][/p][p][b]"But especially for us, we want to compete. Wearing this shirt and this badge means a lot and that's about giving everything and playing to our best capacity."[/b][/p][p]Arteta left out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zubimendi-martin/fNI6Gsdr/"]Martin Zubimendi[/a] despite their returns from World Cup duty this week, but there were first pre-season cameos for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eberechi Eze[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raya-david/nkVV0IXb/"]David Raya[/a], Mikel Merino and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/madueke-chukwunonso/Ac57P9Pt/"]Noni Madueke[/a].[/p][p]The two sides played out a penalty shootout after the game [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/como-ttyLthOA/?mid=pCmS9Hj5"]with Arsenal winning 4-3[/a] as new signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tzolis-christos/484Acu9H/"]Christos Tzolis[/a] powered in the decisive spot-kick.[/p][infobox id="314a301d-f483-4867-bbc5-21ccdbccb872" /]