Arsenal took on Urawa Red Diamonds at the Saitama Stadium on Friday in the final match of their 2013 Asia tour.
The Gunners went into the game looking to preserve their 100% record in the Far East, having crushed Indonesia XI 7-0 earlier this month before brushing aside Vietnam 7-1 last week.
Arsene Wenger's side continued their winning streak with a hard-fought 3-1 win over former club Nagoya Grampus in Japan on Monday.
Arsenal left it late but successfully made it four wins out of four with a 2-1 win over the Reds.
Read how the action unfolded in our live commentary below.
10.35amGood morning and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Arsenal against the Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan.
10.35amThis match marks the final leg of the Gunners' 2013 tour of Asia, and they will be keen to board the plane home with a perfect record.
10.36amIn three games in the Far East, Arsenal have won three, scored 17 goals and conceded two. Not bad, even if it is only a bunch of friendlies.
10.37amArsenal smashed Indonesia XI 7-0 earlier this month before easing past Vietnam 7-1 last week. They continued their winning streak with a 3-1 win over Nagoya Grampus in Japan on Monday.
10.39amThis match kicks off at 11.30am, and we have already been handed the Arsenal team news. They look strong.
10.43amARSENAL STARTING XI: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Miquel, Arteta, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Giroud, Gnabry
10.51amSo the usual 4-3-3 formation for Arsenal, and with Wojciech Szczesny still out injured, Lukasz Fabianski keeps his place between the sticks.
10.53amYou could hear the gasps from Asia as the news filtered through to Arsenal fans that Laurent Koscielny had picked up an injury in training. However, their fears will be eased now as the Frenchman starts alongside Per Mertesacker to form the Gunners' rock-solid centre-back partnership. The duo were one of the main reasons for the club's suring run to fourth place last season, and they will be hoping to start the new campaign from where they left off.
10.54amBacary Sagna reverts to his usual right-back role having played in the middle on Monday, whereas young Spaniard Ignasi Miquel finds himself on the left side of defence. No place for the English duo of Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson.
10.55amAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain is once again started in the centre of midfield, a position that Wenger eventually sees the former Southampton man making own in the long term.
10.56amHe is joined by compatriot Jack Wilshere, as well as Mikel Arteta, who will sit deeper and allow the other two to bomb forward.
10.56amArsenal have electric pace on the flanks in the form of Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry, while the in-form Olivier Giroud gets the nod at centre forward.
11amI'll bring you news on the Arsenal substitutes once I get it.
11.01amBut just who are the Urawa Red Diamonds? Well, I'll tell you.
11.03amThe play in the top tier of Japanese football, the J-League, and they finished third last season. With their domestic campaign still ongoing, Urawa sit fourth in the table but just five points off top spot.
11.04amThey were nicknamed the Reds upon being founded in 1950, and they play at today's stadium, Saitama Stadium, that holds a capacity of 63,700 and are managed by Mihailo Petrovic.
11.09amARSENAL SUBS: Wojciech Szczesny, Damian Martinez, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, Kristoffer Olsson, Chuks Aneke, Ryo Miyaichi, Thomas Eisfeld, Gedion Zelalem, Lukas Podolski, Chuba Akpom
11.09amJust over 20 minutes until kickoff.
11.10amHere are the one's to watch in the Arsenal squad.
11.11amHe may be on the bench but firstly Gedion Zelalem, who has been touted as being better than Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere at his current age of just 16 and has impressed on the tour so far.
11.11amThomas Eisfeld, another creative German, also deserves your attention, while the rapid Serge Gnabry is sure to catch your eye and also starts today.
11.13amHe may only be playing against minnows, but Giroud has scored six times in just three games for Arsenal over the summer, and it’s not like he has even been playing full matches. He looks razor sharp in both the air and with the ball at his feet, and his hold-up play to bring others into the action is superb. With Arsenal being linked with the likes of Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney, this is a massive pre-season for man who netted 17 goals and racked up 10 assists in his debut campaign at the Emirates.
11.26amLess than five minutes to go!
11.28amOut come the teams!
11.29amArsenal, as they did with their first two matches of the tour, are wearing their new yellow away kit. Yellow shirt with a blue collar, blue shorts, and blue and yellow hooped socks.
11.29amUrawa, as you would have guessed given their full name, are wearing red shirts, white shorts and black socks. Very similar to Manchester United's kit.
11.31amThe two teams engage in pre-match photos with all the mascots, and I mean ALL of them, and they're just readying up for the kick off now.
0 minARSENAL KICK OFF!
1 minArsenal are playing from right to left in this first half. Urawa, obviously, are the other way around.
1 minWill be interesting to see how Miquel gets on at left-back today. He is usually a centre-back but hasn't blown anyone out of the water yet with his performances. Crucial year for him, and he needs to make the most of Thomas Vermaelen and Nacho Monreal being out injured.
2 minArsenal have had all the ball so far and nearly create a chance as Walcott plays a quick free kick to Gnabry, who beats two man on the right side of the penalty area but just overruns it.
3 minUrawa nearly catch Arsenal on the counter, but Koscielny, as he did so much last year, saves his side's bacon with a tremendous recovery challenge before moving the ball forward.
4 minA lot of noise in the stadium, and a lot of it for Arsenal.
4 minCHANCE! It's Urawa who has the first effort on goal of the match as Umesaki beats Wilshere has drills a shot from the left of the box. However, it flashes past the near post and you would think that Fabianski had it covered.
6 minBig game for Jack Wilshere as well, after his injury-hit couple of years, he starts for the first time in pre-season today and will have a lot of the spotlight over his head.
7 minUrawa have a corner, but Arsenal are able to clear. The Japanese club are enjoy a fair bit of possession at the moment, could be a tough game for Arsenal today.
9 minOFF THE POST! Arsenal are fractions away from taking the lead here and it would have been a brilliant goal from Walcott. He races deep from the midfield and guides to the left of the box past two defenders before striking the ball with his left foot. The ball beats everyone but cannons off the post. Giroud gives it back to Walcott who tries to guide it with the inside of his boot into the top corner, but Urawa can block well and scramble it away.
11 minCHANCE! On first glance it looks a terrible miss for Urawa as the low cross is played across the six-yard box. Michardes looks to have pulled off the miss of the century as the ball sails over the bar, but replays show that Mertesacker got a crucial touch which put off the forward.
12 minGnabry nearly found a way in there on the break as well. Such an open start to the match but it's still goalless.
15 minUgajin finds himself on the right wing and cuts inside before making the decision to have a smack from 30 yards out. This would be some strike, but he gets too much power on the ball and sends it over the far corner.
18 minArsenal nearly find a way through after some fluent football involving the English trio of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Walcott which results in the latter being played through on goal, but Urawa have men back to sound out the forward.
21 minArsenal starting to threaten, and Sagna wins a corner after seeing his cross blocked on the right.
22 minThe corner comes in and is over the head of Mertesacker but falling in the direction of Miquel, however, Yamagishi comes and catches the ball just before contact with the Spaniard. Nice take.
27 minCHANCE! It should be 1-0 to the Arsenal and Walcott is wondering how he has missed. It's lovely build up from Arsenal down the right as Chamberlain allows the ball to run through his legs to Giroud, who pushes the ball wide on the right first time to Walcott. He runs at goal on the angle, but skies his effort. Poor.
29 minCHANCE! It just won't go in for Arsenal at the moment, but Giroud nearly scored a very intelligent goal there. He races to the corner of the box on the right to meet the long ball, beats the defender to it and opts to go for a first time lob. The keeper is stranded and scrambling, but looks mightily relieved to see the ball drop just wide of the far post. Better.
32 minArsenal piling on the pressure now, they have a free kick in a decent position.
33 minThe ball is crossed in from Walcott towards the far post where Koscielny is being sandwiched between two defends. The ball heads over the trio, but Koscielny keeps it in play on the far side, knocks it to Gnabry, whose cross wins a corner.
34 minArsenal have a free kick just five yards outside the box, slightly to the right of centre. Giroud and Walcott over it.
35 minCHANCE! Giroud takes this one and looks for power. It deflects of a defender's face and out for a corner.
36 minOFF THE BAR! What do Arsenal need to do to take the lead here?! Yamagishi pulls off a number of stops and the two sides play pinball in the Urawa box. Mertesacker prods the ball to Chamberlain on the outside of the penalty area, who meets it with a first-time strike that skims the top of the crossbar. So unlucky.
40 minUrawa nearly find a way through, but Miquel uses the offside trap well to win the decision.
41 minKashiwagi fouls Wilshere, who was pulling out all the tricks and turns, and Arsenal now have a free kick in a good position.
42 minWalcott's free kick takes a touch on the way through and goes out for the corner.
43 minI would expect Arsene Wenger to make several changes at the break. Just hasn't happened for Arsenal in the front of goal so far today.
45 minSAVE! What a top save from Fabianski. Ugajin dummies a shot on the right before unleashing a curling effort that is destined for the top corner. However, Fabianski dives through the air to his right to push the ball away with both hands. The best moment of the half by far for Urawa.
45 minHALF TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Urawa Red Diamonds
12.18pmSo a goalless first half but I'm not quite sure how. Walcott and Chamberlain has both struck the frame of the goal for Arsenal, while Fabianski kept them level with a wonderful save just before the break.
12.18pmIt's been a very good game so far, but I'm expecting a fair few changes at the break for the Gunners. I imagine, like many of the home teams on this tour, that Urawa will make theirs during the second half.
12.30pmThe two teams are back out and ready for the second half.
12.31pmArsenal have made a few changes as well.
45 minURAWA GET THE SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!
46 minARSENAL SUBS Jenkinson, Rosicky, Ramsey, Podolski, Miyaichi all on in place of Wilshere, Mertesacker, Giroud, Arteta and Gnabry.
47 minTomas Rosicky got a massive cheer when he came on, very popular here.
49 minGOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Urawa Red Diamonds (Lukas Podolski)
50 minLovely move from Arsenal. Ramsey brings it to the edge of the box and finds Walcott inside, who turns and flicks the ball over two defenders towards Podolski, who absolutely slams it into the bottom corner. Arsenal finally have the breakthrough.
51 minCHANCE! Walcott has the chance to double the lead immediately but his sidefoot effort is straight at the keeper who can catch it. Fantastic work from Rosicky in the build-up though, who beat and held off several defenders before playing a brilliant cut-back pass.
53 minCHANCE! It's just not been Theo Walcott's day. He is slotted through brilliantly and is one-on-one with the keeper. He tries to give him the eyes and take it past him, but Yamagishi guesses correctly and can catch the ball on the run.
55 minUrawa nearly find their way through down the right, but Koscielny makes another awesome recovery to run back and make the challenge. He is in the form of his life at the moment.
57 minSekiguchi beats Jenkinson all ends up on the right of the field, and the Englishman cynically pulls him to the ground. Free kick for Urawa.
58 minSAVE! Nice hit on the free kick from Richardes, who blasts a dipping effort across the face of goal, but Fabianski pushes it away.
59 minGOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Urawa Red Diamonds (Yuki Abe)
60 minThe hosts are level and it's the former Leicester City man Yuki Abe who makes it 1-1. The corner comes in from the right, and Arsenal fail to clear it at the near post. It then falls to Abe, who blasts the volley into the top corner. Great finish, and it's all square.
62 minThe home fans are in fine voice now.
63 minUrawa are well on top now, and Fabianski has kept Arsenal in the match on several occasions.
64 minYajima meets a pass across the edge of the box and opts to try to curl it first time. He scoops it high over the bar, but Urawa are all over Arsenal currently.
66 minOFF THE POST! Oxlade-Chamberlain cannot believe his luck as, for the second time this match, he sees an effort come back off the frame of the goal. So close to restoring Arsenal's lead.
69 minARSENAL SUB Following his second striking of the goal frame, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes way, and Gedion Zelalem, the highly-impress midfielder, comes on.
72 minCHANCE! Everything but the shot from Arsenal! THe build-up play is out of this world, with Miyaichi and Podolski heavily involved, but the Japanese winger looks for the German in the middle, and ends up passing to nobody after Podolski had ran away from his position. Mixed communications there, and Miyaichi should have gone for a shot himself.
74 minWalcott is captaining Arsenal at the moment by the way.
75 minARSENAL SUBSTITUTION Chuba Akpom is the latest on for the Gunners, as Theo Walcott makes way. Not sure who is the skipper now.
77 minCHANCE! Great opportunity for Podolski to get his second. Terrific work down the left from Miquel, who makes his way to the byeline before cutting back a low cross. It finds Podolski who is arriving late into the box, but he can't get his effort on target, and sidefoots it just over the top left of the goal.
79 minPodolski clashes with Richardes, who is outraged by the German's high boot. Podolski makes a gesture which pretty much says 'dry your eyes' and Urawa line up this free kick.
81 minUrawa very nearly find themselves in front once again, and work a great scoring chance. But once again, Koscielny is there again to thwart the attack and pass his side out of danger. He has been a monster today.
82 minGOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Urawa Red Diamonds (Chuba Akpom)
85 minAkpom gets his fourth goal of the tour and his easiest yet. A ball is played into the box, and the defender and keeper get caught in a mix up which results in the latter saving a header from his own teammate. The ball then falls to Akpom, who taps in the rebound. Arsenal back in front.
87 minCHANCE! Arsenal work it from left to right as Podolski gives it to Rosicky, who spins and lays off Ramsey. The Welshman's shot is low, and creeps just past the far post.
89 minMiyaichi and Arsenal hit Urawa on the break. He is desperate to make an impression on home soil and opts to go alone. His shot takes a deflection, which takes the sting out of the effort, and lands in the arms of the keeper.
90 minWe'll have one extra minute to play.
90+1 minFULL TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Urawa Red Diamonds
1.18pmWell that whistle brings an end to this match and the whole of Arsenal's Asia tour where they leave with a 100% record after four consecutive wins.
1.19pmAfter a goalless first half, Lukas Podolski gave Arsenal the lead only for Yuki Abe to draw Urawa level. But in the final 10 minutes of the match, Chuba Akpom came off the bench to capitalise on a mistake from the hosts to win the match for the Gunners.
1.20pmArsenal are next in action when they host the Emirates Cup next weekend. They meet Napoli on the Saturday before facing Galatasaray the following day.
1.21pmThat's all from me, I hope you enjoyed the game, until next time, goodbye.
