Havertz Scores His First Arsenal Goal in 4-0 Win over Bournemouth in Premier League

Arsenal's German midfielder #29 Kai Havertz (R) and his teammates celebrate scoring the third goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on September 30, 2023. (AFP)
Arsenal's German midfielder #29 Kai Havertz (R) and his teammates celebrate scoring the third goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on September 30, 2023. (AFP)
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Havertz Scores His First Arsenal Goal in 4-0 Win over Bournemouth in Premier League

Arsenal's German midfielder #29 Kai Havertz (R) and his teammates celebrate scoring the third goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on September 30, 2023. (AFP)
Arsenal's German midfielder #29 Kai Havertz (R) and his teammates celebrate scoring the third goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on September 30, 2023. (AFP)

Kai Havertz scored his first goal for Arsenal as his new club cruised to a 4-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.

As title rival Manchester City struggled in a 2-1 loss at Wolverhampton, Arsenal eased to victory with goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Havertz and Ben White. The Germany forward had not scored since joining Arsenal from Chelsea this summer.

Arsenal made just one change from the team that drew 2-2 with Tottenham last weekend as several players overcame injury doubts. Saka, William Saliba, and Declan Rice all retained their places despite unspecified knocks. Havertz came in for Fabio Vieira in Mikel Arteta’s only alteration.

Saka put Arsenal ahead in the 17th minute, nodding into an empty goal after Gabriel Jesus’ header came back off the post.

Arsenal was awarded a penalty late in the first half as Max Aarons felled Eddie Nketiah in the box. Odegaard sent Neto the wrong way to double the lead.

Bournemouth continued to cause its own problems as a poor challenge from Ryan Christie on Odegaard allowed Havertz to convert the spot-kick in the 53rd for his first Arsenal goal. White added a goal in stoppage time with an assist by Odegaard.

In another headache for Bournemouth, head coach Andoni Iraola was quoted in local media as saying US national team captain Tyler Adams could be sidelined “for some time” with a possible recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Adams was not included in Bournemouth’s squad for the Arsenal game. He came on as a substitute in the Cherries’ midweek 2-0 win over Stoke in the third round of the English League Cup, Adams’ first match since March 11.

“I don’t know what to call it, a setback, but he is not feeling well," Iraola said in comments made to the Daily Echo. “He has been out for a lot of time, so we have to reassess, to reset, to take the good decisions, thinking in everything."

Iraola added: “I couldn’t tell you if it’s exactly the same point, but it’s true that it’s his hamstring that he is not feeling well.”



FIFA Chief Infantino Praises Impact of Expanded Tournaments in Speech to Asian Football Group

A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
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FIFA Chief Infantino Praises Impact of Expanded Tournaments in Speech to Asian Football Group

A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the impact of expanded tournaments in the development of soccer around the world in a video message to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress on Saturday.

Speaking from the United States, host of this year's Club World Cup which will feature 32 teams in June and July instead of the previous seven, Infantino addressed the 46 member associations gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Opportunities to face opponents from different continents don’t come along too often and that is something that we have been trying to change at FIFA,” said Infantino, who has pushed for bigger and new tournaments since taking his position in 2016 in a bid to generate more revenue for the organization’s 211 member associations.

Asia will have four representatives at the Club World Cup: Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Ulsan HD of South Korea and Japan’s Urawa Reds.

“In total, players from more nations will represent their respective countries at this tournament than at all of the FIFA World Cups combined since 1930,” added Infantino. “It is further proof in our desire to make football truly global.”

While there has been some criticism of expanded tournaments in Europe because of the increased demands placed on players, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said Infantino had Asia’s support.

“This is a competition that we have supported as a confederation and a competitive opportunity which our members, and their clubs, have wanted,” the AFC president said.

The United States will also co-host the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and Canada in the first tournament to feature 48 national teams, an increase from 32 in 2022.

“Some teams will break new ground in reaching that competition as a result, not only of the move to 48 teams with eight or even nine Asian teams now being able to qualify, but also a product of the tireless work being done by you all,” added Infantino.

Infantino did not mention Thursday’s proposal by Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer’s ruling body CONMEBOL, that the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by six nations, feature 64 teams in order to mark the centennial celebration of the tournament.

In March, FIFA said it would look into the South American proposal when it was first broached by a Uruguayan official. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930.

The 1930 World Cup, won by the host Uruguay side, featured 13 teams which did not have to pre-qualify — seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America. Many European teams did not participate because of the difficulty of traveling to South America during the Great Depression.