Arsenal’s big summer signing Alexandre Lacazette scored just 15 minutes into his debut as the Gunners kicked off their pre-season tour with a 2-0 win over Sydney FC.
The game was Arsenal’s first proper outing of the off-season, with Arsene Wenger naming a mix-and-match side for the clash.
Newly-recruited defender Sead Kolasinac started in a back three, with Joe Willock and the very impressive Reiss Nelson lining out alongside senior stars such as Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott.
The visitors took the lead after just four minutes, with captain Per Mertesacker of all people, firing home from close-range via an ‘acrobatic’ effort…
See Mertesacker acrobatic & Arsenal 1st pre-season goal against Sydney FC. #BBSports
(Via @ArsenalTerje)pic.twitter.com/N7lE1MuLWg
— Naija Style ™ (@TheNaijaStyle) July 13, 2017
In the second-half, Arsenal had a great chance to double their advantage after winning a dubious penalty.
However, Danny Welbeck’s (possibly intentionally) weak spot-kick was saved by Andrew Redmayne.
Welbeck’s missed penalty pic.twitter.com/tEGgNWXova
— Terje (@ArsenalTerje) July 13, 2017
Wenger then made a raft of substitutions, throwing £46.5million’s worth of Lacazette into the mix…
On 83 minutes, the former Lyon man would give the Arsenal fans in the stadium what they wanted, netting his first goal for the club after steering home a pass from Alex Iwobi.
RT ArsenalTerje: Lacazette scores his first goal for Arsenal pic.twitter.com/jOoUgLbj9J
— Vitovonocla (@vitovonocla1) July 13, 2017
Watching from afar, one of his French brethren gave Laca’s maiden effort his seal of approval…
Lacaaaaz 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🔝
— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) July 13, 2017
Sydney had looked decent in spells and pushed for a goal at the end.
Still, the game would finish in a satisfying 2-0 win for the tourists.
Wenger and his charges will no doubt be pleased to kick off their pre-season schedule with a win, and a poacher’s goal for new star Lacazette is certainly encouraging.
However, with question marks remaining over the future of Alexis Sanchez, there is plenty more work to be done before the Gunners squad is up to the level required for a sustained title tilt.