Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds

Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after scoring his side’s fifth goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United at Emirates stadium in London, England, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP)
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Updated 23 August 2025
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Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds

  • Victory came at a cost for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured

LONDON: Viktor Gyokeres scored his first two Arsenal goals as the Gunners gave Leeds a harsh lesson in the step up to the Premier League with a 5-0 win at the Emirates.

Victory came at a cost for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured just eight days before Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool.

Arsenal edged ahead of north London rivals Tottenham at the top of the table on goal difference, as the only two sides so far with a 100 percent record from their opening two games.

Saka fired in a blistering strike from a narrow angle to double the home side’s lead after Jurrien Timber opened the scoring.

Gyokeres was signed from Sporting Lisbon as the solution to Arsenal’s need for a killer number nine.

The Swede’s ability to succeed in the Premier League has been questioned despite his prolific record of 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting.

Gyokeres made his mark with a fine individual run and finish before Timber bundled in his second from another Declan Rice corner.

Gyokeres rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot with virtually the last kick of the game.

A day of celebration for the home fans began before kick-off when new £60 million ($81 million) signing Eberechi Ezi was paraded after he turned down a move to Tottenham.

But the sight of captain Odegaard and talisman Saka leaving the field soured a routine win.

Arsenal had to rely on their threat from set-pieces to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

Despite a dominant start to the game, that was how the the Leeds defense was prized open.

Timber had scored just twice in 52 Arsenal appearances before Saturday.

The Dutch international doubled that tally as he firstly got his head to Rice’s inviting delivery on 34 minutes.

Odegaard then made his departure after appearing to injure his shoulder falling heavily to the turf.

Saka soon had the Emirates crowd back on their feet when he drilled Timber’s pass high past Lucas Perri with his supposedly weaker right foot.

Gyokeres had at one point been a target for Leeds during his days with Coventry in the Championship before making the move to Portugal.

Arsenal’s new £66 million signing showed the Yorkshire side what they missed as he scampered onto Riccardo Calafiori’s ball over the top and cut inside before firing in at the near post.

Saka missed nearly four months of last season with a hamstring injury.

Worryingly for Arteta, the England international was holding the back of his left leg when he was replaced on 53 minutes.

Arsenal added a fouth when Leeds failed to clear another Rice corner and Timber forced the ball over the line from close range.

Arteta could then afford the luxury of handing a Premier League debut to 15-year-old Max Dowman.

He became the second youngest ever player to play in the English top-flight after team-mate Ethan Nwaneri.

Dowman’s trickery won a penalty deep into stoppage time that Gyokeres gratefully dispatched.


Oracle Red Bull Racing signs global partnership deal with Damac

Updated 14 February 2026
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Oracle Red Bull Racing signs global partnership deal with Damac

  • UAE developer’s branding will appear on the RB22 car’s halo and side pods, as well as the driver kit, helmets, and race suits

DUBAI: Oracle Red Bull Racing has signed a global partnership deal with Damac Properties, the largest private real estate developer in the UAE and the Middle East.

The Formula 1 racing team is one of the most successful in motorsport history, with a driver lineup that features four-time world champion Max Verstappen alongside rising talent Isack Hadjar.

Damac Properties branding will appear on the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 car’s halo and side pods, as well as the team principle and driver team kit, helmets, and race suits.

Over the years, Damac has partnered with brands that include Roberto Cavalli, Paramount, and Chelsea Football Club.

Speaking about the announcement, Amira Sajwani, managing director of sales and development at Damac Properties, said the developer was proud to partner with Oracle Red Bull Racing.

“Formula 1 represents precision, innovation, and elite performance at the highest level, values that resonate deeply with our brand DNA. I truly believe that no real estate developer in the UAE has built a partnership portfolio as diverse and globally impactful as Damac’s, and this collaboration is a powerful testament to that journey,” Sajwani said.

Laurent Mekies, CEO and team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said that the partnership “will open avenues for stronger global engagement and create meaningful impact for both organizations.”

He added: “This partnership reflects our mindset as a business and our vision for the future.” 

Ali Sajwani, managing director of operations, finance and hospitality at Damac, said: “Formula 1 has always been a passion of mine, and I deeply understand both the scale and global influence of this industry. At Damac, we are constantly seeking partnerships that are distinctive, powerful, and aligned with our ambition to be a trendsetter in the market.”

The announcement follows Damac’s global partnership with Chelsea Football Club, unveiled in April 2025, with the developer becoming the club’s front-of-jersey sponsor for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. The collaboration also marked the launch of Chelsea Residences by Damac, the world’s first football-branded residential development, located in Dubai.