Nwaneri scores, three other Nigerians subbed in as Arsenal U21s beat Boreham Wood 4-2

Arsenal's development squad began preparations for the 2024-2025 season with a 4-2 victory over non-league club Boreham Wood in a friendly match on Saturday, July 13, at Mangata Pay UK Stadium. 

Four players of Nigerian descent - goalkeeper Brian Okonkwo, forwards Ethan Nwaneri and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, and fullback Josh Nichols - were given minutes off the bench by Gunners U21 coach e Mehmet Ali.

Okonkwo and Nichols recently extended their stay with the Londoners after putting pen to paper to their first professional contracts.

Salah-Eddine found the bottom corner with a neat finish in the fourth minute to give the young Gunners a brilliant start.

Arsenal extended their lead in the ninth minute when Omar Rekik headed in a corner from Salah Oulad M'Hand, but Boreham Wood halved the deficit through Kwesi Appiah, whose bullet header beat goalkeeper Lucas Nygaard midway through the first half.

The Gunners were 3-1 up at half-time thanks to Salah-Eddine who restored their two-goal advantage with another delightful finish.

Arsenal made a number of changes before the second half started, four of which saw Nwaneri, Butler-Oyedeji, Okonkwo and Nichols enter the game as substitutes. 

Three minutes into the second half, Nwaneri finished off a move he started from the halfway line to make it 4-1 but a trialist pulled one back at minute 64. 

Former Arsenal youth teamer David Agbontohoma came off the bench for Boreham Wood in the second half.

Arsenal U21s next friendly is against Enfield Town on July 16, followed by matches against Rapid Vienna, Bishop's Stortford, Lincoln City and Stoke City. 

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit: arsenal.com

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