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Arsenal made a winning commencement to their preseason circuit of Asia after Bukayo Saka's 53rd-minute onslaught earned a 1-0 triumph implicit AC Milan successful Singapore.
Substitute Jakub Kiwior delivered a good transverse to the acold station wherever Saka was connected manus to bundle the shot location connected a sweltering nighttime erstwhile the somesthesia was inactive 30 degrees Celsius astatine kick-off with precocious humidity contempt the section evening commencement time.
In beforehand of a assemblage of 22,813 astatine the Singapore National Stadium -- which tin clasp 55,000 -- Christian Nørgaard was Arsenal's lone summertime signing to marque the starting line-up but it was Ethan Nwaneri, acceptable to motion a caller four-year declaration with an enactment for a fifth, who shone brightest successful the archetypal half.
First, the 18-year-old bushed Strahinja Pavlovic with a sublime portion of accomplishment earlier moments aboriginal helium collected a walk from Norgaard, turning distant from Christian Pulisic earlier unleashing a fierce 20-yard thrust which Milan goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano pushed down for a corner.
There was besides immoderate encouraging operation play down Arsenal's close arsenic Ben White and Bukayo Saka linked up regularly but it was Riccardo Calafiori who went closest to opening the scoring connected the changeable of fractional clip arsenic his header was cleared disconnected the enactment by Pavlovic.
Arteta predictably rung the changes astatine half-time with 2 much caller signings -- Martín Zubimendi and Kepa Arrzabalaga -- introduced alongside Martin Odegaard, Jakub Kiwior, Miles Lewis-Skelly and Leandro Trossard.
After Kiwior and Saka combined to springiness Arsenal the lead, Arteta took the accidental to marque further alterations with the Gunners' 2 15-year-olds -- Max Dowman and Marli Salmon -- some making their elder debuts for the last 25 minutes on with Josh Nichols and Mikel Merino.
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After threatening connected the counter-attack during the opening period, Milan faded arsenic Arsenal exerted control. Merino astir added a 2nd with a 76th-minute header which Terracciano saved well.
The crippled was followed by a pre-planned punishment shootout which Milan won 6-5 connected abrupt decease contempt Kepa redeeming 3 spot-kicks, from Malick Thiaw, Mattia Liberali and Noah Okafor.
Zubimendi, Merino, Dowman, Trossard and Josh Nichols each scored portion Odegaard, Nelson, Kiwior and Salmon missed.
Arsenal adjacent look Newcastle successful Singapore connected Sunday portion Milan play Liverpool successful Hong Kong connected Saturday.
