Arsenal got their pre-season campaign under way with a 4-2 win over Boreham Wood on Saturday. It was a chance for the Gunners’ young guns to make their mark against the non-leaguers, with Mikel Arteta ‘s first team squad not back in proper training until Monday.
Mehmet Ali’s Arsenal side was full of recognisable names though, with a returning loanee and a real wonderkid getting on the scoresheet.
Arsenal were 2-0 up early on in the contest, with Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand opening the scoring inside just four minutes. Then, five minutes later, Omar Rekik, signed from Hertha Berlin in 2021 and having been on loan ever since at various clubs, made it 2-0.
After Boreham Wood reduced the deficit, Oulad M’Hand on on hand to restore the two-goal advantage. New signing Lucas Nygaard started in goal, with the likes of Charlie Patino, back from his loan at Swansea, and Charles Sagoe Junior also playing the first half of the match.
Arsenal’s youngest ever first team player Ethan Nwaneri was introduced at half-time, alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly and a host of other players, and Nwaneri was also on the scoreshet, making it 4-1, managing to find the back of the net despite taking a tumble. Boreham Wood did pull another goal back but it ended with Arsenal winning 4-2.
Ali told arsenal.com aftewards: “Salah has matured really nicely. He’s had different loan experiences. He’s been unfortunate with injuries, but this season he’s been a bit of a leader in the group.
READ MORE: Riccardo Calafiori reveals dreams are coming true amid £42m Arsenal transfer update
READ MORE: Arsenal £25m transfer breakthrough repeat would be Mikel Arteta’s most important summer deal
“He’s normally on the winning team when we’re doing games in attack vs defence practices and he showed that today, so I was really pleased for him to get an assist and two goals.”
Ali’s U21s face a trip to Enfield Town on Tuesday night as the Gunners’ pre-season preparations continue. The game will kick off at 7.45pm at Queen Elizabeth II Stadium.
Fancy free takeaway delivery, exclusive discounts, free music streaming and access to some of the best sports documentaries being made? These are just a few of the perks of Amazon Prime. Usually £8.99 a month, you can now get a 30-day free trial just in time for Amazon Prime Day, which brings the sites best deals of the year exclusively to Prime members.