Washington (AFP) – Youngster Edward Nketiah made it three goals in two matches Saturday with a brace that boosted Arsenal to a 3-0 win over Fiorentina in a pre-season friendly in North Carolina.
The 20-year-old striker, who fired the game-winner two minutes from time in a win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, picked up right where he left off with goals in the 15th and 66th minutes.
Joseph Willock added an exclamation point with a goal to make it 3-0 in the 89th.
Fiorentina could have made things more difficult for the Gunners but for a series of missed chances in the first half and solid work by Emi Martinez in the Arsenal goal.
Nketiah displayed a crisp scoring touch, putting Arsenal up 1-0 as he seized on Sead Kolasinac’s low cross, dodged his defender and fired home with his right foot.
He was perfectly positioned in the 66th to slot home a pass from Alexandre Lacazette after good work up the left side by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The victory in sweltering heat before a crowd of 34,902 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte made it three wins in three matches for Arsenal in a tour that began with unsettled captain Laurent Koscielny refusing to make the trip in a bid to force a transfer.
On Tuesday Unai Emery’s men take on Real Madrid at FedEx Field, home of the NFL’s Washington Redskins.
AFP
