By Spy Uganda Correspondent
Kigali: Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame was not impressed with Arsenal’s performance on Friday night, and he took to social media to let his feelings known. Arsenal lost the opening match of the English Premier League 2-0 to newly promoted side, Brentford.
READ ALSO: President Paul Kagame On Cloud 9 Over Arsenal’s Community Shield Win
Kagame was one of the many Gunner’s fans who were left frustrated and disappointed after their team lost to a team that returned to the premiership after a 74-year absence.
He wondered how one of the strong Premier League teams could be crushed by just a promoted team.
He fumed; ”What?? It’s football, it’s a loss of Arsenal at/to Brentford. Brentford deserved to win and they did. The game itself aside Arsenal and the fans don’t deserve to kind of get used to this….NO !!! I say this as one of the big fans of Arsenal. The change has taken too long to come!”
READ ALSO: President Kagame Congratulates Arsenal For Winning FA Finals
What?? It's football,it's a loss of Arsenal at/to Brentford. Brentford deserved to win and they did. The game itself aside Arsenal and the fans don't deserve to kind of get used to this….NO !!! I say this as one of the big fans of Arsenal. The change has taken to long to come!
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) August 13, 2021
Brentford made a blistering start to their first English top-flight season for 74 years as goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard earned a 2-0 win over Arsenal in front of a first-ever full house at the Brentford Community Stadium on Friday.
The Bees spent the first season at their new home playing behind closed doors but rose to the occasion as they were roared on by 17,000 fans in west London in the first Premier League match at full capacity since March 2020.
Bryan Mbuemo drilled a shot off the outside of the post in the first warning shot from the home side before they took the lead in 22 minutes.
READ ALSO: Arsenal Defender David Luiz, Didier Drogba Meet Rwanda President Kagame
The Gunners were without both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette due to illness, handing Folarin Balogun his Premier League debut.
Balogun wasted the visitors’ best chance of the first half but was also unfortunate not to win a penalty as he was caught on the follow-through after slicing wide.
Bukayo Saka was given a standing ovation by both sets of fans when he was introduced on the hour mark after the racial abuse he suffered in the aftermath of missing the decisive penalty in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.
But Brentford’s players were in no mood to show any mercy and substitute Norgaard made sure of a famous night 17 minutes from time.
Arsenal somehow let a long throw bounce inside their six-yard box and the Danish international gratefully headed into an unguarded net to double Brentford’s advantage.
Norgaard was inches away from another goal moments later with Leno again flapping at a set-piece.
Smith-Rowe and Tierney were the only sources of comfort for Arsenal as they combined to set up Nicolas Pepe, who was denied by a stunning save by Raya five minutes from time.
After finishing eighth in each of his first two seasons in charge, Mikel Arteta was under pressure before the season even began to show signs of a major improvement.
The Spaniard has a daunting task to turn things around before the September international break with title favourites Chelsea and Manchester City to come in Arsenal’s next two games.
