rsenal began their pre-season schedule in bizarre fashion with a 1-1 draw against Nurnberg after a baffling own goal from Jorginho.
It had been a comfortable evening in Germany for the Gunners until the 62nd minute when substitute goalkeeper Karl Hein played a slack ball out while 20 yards off his line, forcing Jorginho into evasive action to hold off Kanji Okunuki.
However, the Italian’s stab at the ball ended up sending it straight into the net – although Nurnberg’s Okunuki claim to the goal will will surely not be refused by Jorginho.
While it may have been the first proper outing of the summer for the Gunners, Mikel Arteta will not have been impressed by his side’s lacklustre response to the equaliser in a fixture which they romped to a 5-3 win in this time last season.
Nurnberg hit the woodwork late on and made Arsenal look ragged.
Also a worry for Arteta would have been Kai Havertz’s quiet debut off the bench at the break, the German deployed in his expected new midfield role yet struggling to get involved in the action at either end.
The drop-off was marked from what was a very solid opening by the visitors to Max-Morlock-Stadion, even after Martin Odegaard was withdrawn from the line-up before kick-off with a knock.
Bukayo Saka drilled an early opener past the second-tier side with a trademark cut-in and finish while expertly holding off his marker.
The winger had chances to make it two before the break and Folarin Balogun spurned the best chance for 2-0 shortly on the hour mark, hitting the post from a narrow angle.
Following the strange leveller, Nurnberg had the best of the chances on the counter before Balogun again missed a huge opening to score the winner on 90 minutes, rounding the goalkeeper and hitting the side netting with the goal gaping.
