In pics: Arsenal fall to friendly defeat to Real Betis at sold-out Aviva Stadium

Premier League champions beaten 3-1 in Dublin pre-season friendly.

Arsenal 1

Real Betis 3

a-view-of-action-during-the-game A view of the game. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

A SELL-OUT CROWD watched Arsenal in action at Aviva Stadium on Wednesday evening, but the Premier League champions were defeated by Spanish side Real Betis.

Most of the Dublin 4 venue was red for the pre-season friendly, which finished 3-1 as Arsenal were punished for devensive errors.

The Gunners fell behind to first-half goals from Rodrigo Riquelme and Nelson Deossa and although they hit back through Piero Hincapie, Pablo Fornals struck a third for Betis before the break.

victor-gyokeres-in-action-with-natan Arsenal’s Victor Gyokeres in action with Betis’ Natan. Will Morgan / INPHO Will Morgan / INPHO / INPHO

Mikel Arteta named an unchanged line-up after his side won Saturday’s opening friendly match 4-1 in Spain against Girona, but they fell behind in the ninth minute when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to make contact with a corner and Riquelme lashed home at the back post.

Christos Tzolis failed to take advantage for Arsenal when Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles passed the ball straight to the Gunners’ summer signing before Deossa put the visitors 2-0 up with a 30-yard thunderbolt into the top corner.

pablo-fornals-celebrates-scoring-his-sides-third-goal-with-facundo-bernal Pablo Fornals celebrates scoring his side’s third goal of the game with Facundo Bernal. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Arsenal reduced the deficit when Valles misjudged a corner from Tzolis for Hincapie to head home, but Betis restored their two-goal advantage before the break as former West Ham midfielder Fornals swept the ball beyond a stationary Kepa following Kai Havertz’s misplaced pass.

Arteta made wholesale changes at half-time, with 16-year-old Marli Salmon appearing at centre-half and Northern Ireland international Ceadach O’Neill later introduced, and neither side created a clear-cut scoring chance as the game lost its momentum.

a-view-of-a-sold-out-aviva-sign Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO