Watch: Arsenal's Walcott, Ozil spoil Bob Bradley's Swansea debut
Bob Bradley struck new ground for American managers Saturday, but he fell in his Swansea City debut, with Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil leading Arsenal to a 3-2 win over the Swans at the Emirates.
Bradley is the first American manager ever in one of Europe's major top-flight leagues, but he has his work cut out for him, leading the 17th-place Swans. That much was made clear from the start, with a pair of Swansea defensive blunders gifting Walcott his two goals within the opening 33 minutes.
For the first, Jordi Amat failed to deal with a softly hit headed cross toward the near post, and Walcott was first to it, bundling home by goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski for the opener.
Walcott got his second after the other center back, Federico Fernandez, whiffed on a clearance attempt, allowing Walcott to have time and space six yards out.
Granit Xhaka gifted Swansea a lifeline, though, with a turnover in midfield. Gylfi Sigurdsson pounced and then curled a beautiful left-footed effort around Petr Cech, pulling Swansea within 2-1 38 minutes in.
Ozil restored the two-goal edge just before the hour mark. On the day he turned 28, Ozil turned in a fantastic, powerful volley from close range after Alexis Sanchez's cross to the far post.
Swansea didn't go quietly. Borja Baston came off the bench and chipped the lead back down to one with a first-time effort off Modou Barrow's cross from the right in the 66th minute.
Things got better for Swansea three minutes later, when Xhaka was sent off for taking down Barrow with a reckless challenge on the sideline. The Swansea winger was racing out well in front of the Swiss midfielder before being chopped down with a late, outstretched foot, and referee Jonathan Moss wasted little time in going to the red card.
Swansea carved out a number of late chances, including a couple of close-range headers, but they were both hit directly into Cech's gut, and Swansea fell to 1-6-1 on the young season.
Bradley's next chance at points will be next Saturday in his home debut against Watford.
