Arsenal 5 Benfica 2: Theo Walcott scores twice as youngster Reiss Nelson shines in Emirates Cup thrashing

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James Benge29 July 2017

Theo Walcott and young gun Reiss Nelson put Benfica to the sword as Arsenal began their Emirates Cup tournament in style with a 5-2 win in north London.

A brace and deflected shot from Walcott were enough to set Arsenal on course for victory before Olivier Giroud and Alex Iwobi added gloss to a comprehensive win.

But it was Elephant and Castle’s own Nelson who sprinkled stardust on a sodden Emirates, his explosive performance from right wing-back the latest across a pre-season he has set alight.

Arsenal had much the better of the opening exchanges but found themselves a goal down inside the first 11 minutes. The defensive issues that have plagued their back three throughout pre-season reared their head once more as no-one challenged Jonas for a long ball.

AFP/Getty Images

The Brazilian flicked a header down to Franco Cervi. No Arsenal defender was near enough to offer a convincing challenge as the Argentine saw his low shot deflect off Per Mertesacker and into the net.

It was much the same story for Benfica’s second in the first half, as the midfield duo of Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka were carved apart, Mertesacker’s last-ditch challenge serving only to tee up Eduardo Salvio to loop a shot over David Ospina via Rob Holding’s legs.

Between that had come two encouraging goals that suggested Walcott might just thrive in a free role off the striker. The veteran forward still retains his explosive pace and combined dangerously with Nelson, the 17-year-old whose every burst forward drew gasps from the Emirates.

It was from the left and the mountainous Sead Kolasinac that Arsenal’s two first-half goals would come. First the summer signing outmuscled his opponent on the byline before clipping back for Walcott to volley home. Then the Bosnian international combined with Francis Coquelin to similar effect as the No.14 was left with the simplest of tap-ins into an empty net.

The second half continued with Walcott finding space in the Benfica area and he might have been rewarded with a 53rd- minute hat-trick if Lisandro Lopes had not deflected his cross-shot beyond Julio Cesar.

Walcott would then spurn another chance for a hat-trick when he volleyed over with only Cesar to beat but Arsenal were finding ever greater gaps in the Benfica rearguard.

Not that there was much space for Nelson when he delivered the cross for Giroud to score Arsenal’s fourth. It didn’t matter. The youngster created it all for himself with a brilliant rabona flick before fizzing a delivery onto the outstretched left boot of the Frenchman.

There was still enough time for Iwobi to lash in a fine fifth and Alexandre Lacazette to emerge from the bench. His arrival was greeted by perhaps the loudest cheers the Emirates had heard all day, save for those that greeted Nelson. The £52million man may just have a rival for Arsenal’s affections.

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