Balogun celebrates agreeing new deal with goal for Arsenal in win vs Derby County U23s

Published: April 12, 2021

American-Anglo-Nigerian striker Folarin Balogun celebrated agreeing a new deal with his boyhood club Arsenal by getting on the scoresheet in their entertaining 3-2 win over Derby County in a Premier League 2 clash at the Loughborough University Football Stadium on Monday night.

The Gunners are on the verge of confirming that the Hale End Academy product is now tied to the club until at least the end of the 2024-2025 season after months of negotiations.

Balogun, midfielders Tim Akinola and Miguel Azeez started and went the distance for Arsenal, while Josh Shonibare and Festy Ebosele started for the Rams.

The pace of Balogun caused Derby County problems but it was the home team that took the lead as Cresswell coolly converted from the penalty spot in the 40th minute.

Taylor-Hart capitalised on a poorly cleared corner to equalise for the Gunners in the 50th minute, only for Derby's Anglo-Nigerian winger Josh Shonibare to restore their one-goal cushion with a strike from the edge of the box on 53 minutes.

Balogun found the bottom corner to level the score in the 70th minute, before Arsenal took the lead through an own goal from Bateman with seven minutes left.

The 19-year-old has now scored in back-to-back matches for the first time in 2021, taking his tally to 12 goals in 24 appearances combined for the Arsenal teams.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com

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