Arsenal Lose to Hacken in European Qualifying

Gunners stunned by Swedish minnows in shock Europa Conference League defeat

Arsenal's European campaign got off to a disastrous start as they were stunned 2-1 by Swedish minnows Hacken in the first leg of their Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie.

The Gunners, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, were heavy favorites against the Swedish champions, but they were outplayed for large periods of the game.

Hacken took the lead in the 22nd minute when Alexander Jeremejeff headed home from close range. Arsenal equalized through Bukayo Saka in the 55th minute, but Jeremejeff struck again just seven minutes later to give the Swedish side a famous victory.

Mikel Arteta's side now face an uphill battle to qualify for the group stages of the Europa Conference League. They will need to win the second leg in Sweden next week by at least two clear goals to progress.

The defeat is a major setback for Arsenal, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing Premier League campaign. It also raises questions about the future of manager Mikel Arteta, who is under pressure to deliver results.

Here are some of the key talking points from the game:

• Arsenal were poor in all areas of the pitch.
• The Gunners were outplayed by a Hacken side that was well organized and disciplined.
• Bukayo Saka was Arsenal's only bright spark.
• The defeat is a major setback for Arsenal's season.
• Mikel Arteta is under pressure to deliver results.

Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back in the second leg next week, but they will need to produce a much better performance if they are to avoid a humiliating exit from the Europa Conference League.