Giroud seals shootout victory for Arsenal in Community Shield

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Community Shield Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

LONDON (Reuters) - Olivier Giroud scored the decisive spot kick as Arsenal beat Chelsea 4-1 in a penalty shootout to win the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.

After the Premier League and FA Cup winners were locked at 1-1 following an evenly contested 90 minutes, the Frenchman stroked home after Alvaro Morata and Thibaut Courtois missed for Chelsea, in a shootout that trialled the new 'ABBA system'.

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates winning the community shield Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Chelsea's Victor Moses opened the scoring when he reacted fastest to smash a loose ball past Petr Cech in the 46th minute before Arsenal substitute Sead Kalasinac equalised in the 82nd minute, heading home to cap an impressive performance.

Chelsea’s Pedro was dismissed for a nasty lunge on Mohamed Elneny which led to Arsenal's equaliser while Arsene Wenger's side also handed a debut to record signing Alexandre Lacazette.

Chelsea begin their title defence when they host Burnley on Saturday, while Arsenal entertain Leicester City on Friday to kick off the Premier League season.

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates winning the community shield Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

At a sun-kissed Wembley Arsenal, who beat Chelsea in May to win the FA Cup, started brightly with Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi all having early half-chances.

Arsenal's fluid front three continued to cause the Premier League champions problems and midway through the half France forward Lacazette saw his curling effort cannon off the post.

Chelsea, who cantered to last season’s league title, grew into the game and Spanish winger Pedro drew a save from Cech with a fearsome drive following a swift counter-attack.

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Petr Cech celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Community Shield Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Chelsea’s Willian was then booked when referee Robert Madley judged the Brazilian to have dived as he surged past Hector Bellerin into the Arsenal box.

The second half was less than a minute old when Moses, sent off in the FA Cup final defeat, reacted fastest against a static Arsenal defence to thrash home Gary Cahill’s header.

In response, Courtois had to be alert to beat away a fierce, goal-bound cross from Elneny and then a rasping long-range drive from Granit Xhaka before the impressive Kolasinac, a close-season signing from Schalke 04, nodded home a deserved equaliser.

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Reiss Nelson and Olivier Giroud celebrate winning the community shield with teammates Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Morata was brought on in the closing stages and the 24-year-old headed narrowly wide late on in what would have been the perfect introduction following his summer arrival from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Cahill, scored for Chelsea to open the shootout, which was based on the ABBA format used in tennis tie-breaks.

Theo Walcott and Nacho Monreal scored for Arsenal before Chelsea keeper Courtois and Morata blazed high and wide respectively, leaving Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Giroud to convert in front of the jubilant Arsenal supporters.

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud and Nacho Monreal celebrate with the trophy and teammates after winning the FA Community Shield Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

(Editing by Toby Davis)

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette celebrates after winning the FA Community Shield Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea players dejected during the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring a penalty during the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois reacts after missing a penalty during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Darren Staples

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea players watch during the penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Sead Kolasinac scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea's N'Golo Kante in action with Arsenal's Theo Walcott REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea's Victor Moses celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Darren Staples

Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Chelsea's Willian is shown a yellow card for simulation by referee Robert Madley REUTERS/Hannah McKay