Adebayor starts to win over the Arsenal fans with a touch of magic to floor Real

No mistake: Adebayor slots home his penalty
13 April 2012

Arsenal 1 Real Madrid 0


fans finally gave in and cheered Emmanuel Adebayor from the field.

He had won them the game 1-0 from the spot and put in a shift to support his claim that he really does love playing for the Gunners.

Kissing the badge might have over-egged it a bit but Adebayor has started to repair the damage done during a summer when he appeared to agitate for a move to AC Milan or Barcelona while discussing a new contract.

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No mistake: Adebayor slots home his penalty

No mistake: Adebayor slots home his penalty

Jeers and cheers greeted his name before the Emirates Cup game against Real Madrid and he was booed when he planted a simple header wide in the first half.

The dissent vanished when he converted a penalty given for a barge by Michel Salgado on Robin van Persie in the 50th minute and a few fans even sang his name.

Manager Arsene Wenger said: 'You score goals and people quickly forget the frustration. Why not kiss the badge? If it's sincere and real, I like it.

'He felt people questioned his commitment and the best answer is always on the pitch. He played well and showed he was ready to fight for the shirt, for the team.'

One moment of Adebayor magic almost made it 2-0 and perhaps did more than his goal to remind fans of his ability.

Collecting a pass outside the area, he turned and jinked, side-stepping through three Madrid challenges before prodding the ball past keeper Jerzy Dudek.

It rolled an inch wide.

'Some fans will love you, some will hate you,' said Adebayor. 'But most of the fans love me. What happened in the summer is already behind me. It's up to me to play football and score goals and show I have the desire to play for the team. That's what I have tried to do and what I will try to do all season.'

A youthful Arsenal side were beaten 1-0 by Juventus on Saturday but Wenger fielded the strongest available team against Real - Cesc Fabregas and Kolo Toure were absent because they are behind the rest of the squad with pre-season fitness work.

Denilson and Abou Diaby were paired in midfield and Wenger ducked questions afterwards about his intent to bolster his engine room with Xabi Alonso or Gareth Barry.

Theo Walcott, who has inherited the No 14 shirt once worn by Thierry Henry, dazzled on the right, tormenting Real's Miguel Torres and looks set to play a major role this season.

'He's ahead of what he was doing this time last year,' said Wenger. 'His first touch is much better. He moves the ball quicker. His penetration and final ball are better and there's goalscoring potential in him.'

Another positive for Arsenal was when injured striker Eduardo appeared at half-time to tell fans, via the big screen, that he hopes to play again before Christmas.

The day did not end so well for Real Madrid, who had £22.5million midfielder Wesley Sneijder carried off with a suspected cruciate knee ligament injury following a tackle by Diaby.

It will rule him out for most of the season but Madrid boss Bernd Schuster insisted afterwards that it will not have an impact on his club's willingness to sell Robinho to Chelsea, although the injury could lead to Real intensifying their efforts to sign Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hamburg boss Martin Jol, who rarely left the Emirates Stadium with a smile on his face when in charge of Tottenham, went home with the trophy thanks to goal difference at the end of a tournament when each team won once.

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