Arsenal 5 Ipswich 1 : Balogun & Super Eagles star score; three other Nigeria-eligible players feature

As many as five Nigeria-eligible players were given minutes as Arsenal thrashed League One opponents Ipswich Town in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly staged at London Colney on Saturday afternoon, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

In order to spread the minutes around the players who have been training with the squad, manager Mikel Arteta fielded two different teams in the first and second half.

Striker Folarin Balogun, goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and central defender Zach Awe all started the second half for the Gunners, while ex-Flying Eagles invitee Freddie Ladapo and Nigeria international Sone Aluko played the first and second half respectively for the Tractor Boys. 

The Gunners were cruising 4-0 at half time thanks to Eddie Nketiah's hat-trick inside thirty five minutes and Sambi Lokonga's close-range effort.

Few minutes into the second half, Okonkwo made a brilliant save to deny Lee Evans from reducing the deficit, before Balogun got in on the act by scoring Arsenal's fifth goal.

Aluko bagged a consolation when he drilled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to make it 5-1 .

Arsenal's next pre-season game is against 2.Bundesliga outfit Nurnberg on Friday, July 8.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com

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