The Premier League season has got off to a sensational start as Brentford marked their first game in the top flight for 74 years and their first in front of fans at their new stadium with an emotional 2-0 victory over ragged Arsenal.
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Sergi Canos carved his name into the west London club's Hall of Fame on Friday when he cut inside Calum Chambers and drilled a low shot past Bernd Leno after 22 minutes to spark an explosion of joy from the fans who have waited so long to take their place in the new 17,500-capacity home.
It was the least Brentford deserved as, revelling in their chance to take on the big boys, they took the game to an Arsenal team who looked disjointed and toothless in the absence of "unwell" strike duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
Some hesitant Arsenal defending after a long throw in the 73rd minute allowed Christian Norgaard to head home the second and Brentford, the team who suffered an agonising nine playoff failures before finally succeeding last season, were in dreamland.
Their red and white bedecked fans filed off into the night singing "we are top of the league" and though they are unlikely to stay there for long, nobody can begrudge them their moment.
Bees boss Thomas Frank praised his side's bravery and said they deserved to revel in their opening win.
"I'm a little bit speechless because it's the first time in the top flight - we are opening the Premier League season and all our fans can dream, we are number one in the Premier League and it is a fantastic story," said Frank.
"I think the players today were amazing, they ran themselves into the ground and they played with great intensity and were brave to press high.
"Today they deserve the praise and to celebrate a bit. It's been a hard preseason and it's been planned to have two days off because they well deserve to get a little bit of rest."
Canos, who will go into the history books as Brentford's first Premier League goalscorer, said his side deserved their win due to their "brave" approach.
"I've been dreaming about scoring the first goal and all these people deserve it. It is a great three points in the first game of the season, and we go again next week," Canos told Sky Sports.
"It is a fantastic moment for me and my family. I brought my family all the way from Spain, and it is amazing - a step forward."
Australian Associated Press
