Arsenal of England youngster, Folarin Balogun staged another bold claim for a regular spot in The Gunners’ main squad this season, as he struck twice for the London-based side’s under-23 team in their latest match of the English Premier League 2, megasportsarena.com reports.
The fast-rising lad’s double-effort helped Arsenal climb to second on the EPL2 standings, as they roared to a huge 3-1 win over Manchester United at Meadow Park in Hertfordshire on Saturday afternoon, with The Red Devils’ lone goal scored by Shola Shoretire.
Although Balogun had been tipped to star for the main team in Saturday’s regular EPL clash with Norwich City, which they went on to win 1-0, the Nigerian-born youngster ended up starring for the reserves in the youth ranks and made his mark in wonderful style.
Balogun, with an assist from-fellow-Nigerian-born whiz-kid, Ryan Alebiosu, opened scoring with a long-range effort inside two minutes, after which his second of the evening arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper and slotted home in the 40th minute.
Shoretire halved the deficit with a curling effort on 63 minutes before Patino grabbed Arsenal’s third goal in injury time, as Balogun put himself in pole position for a shirt ahead of The Gunners’ Carabao Cup clash with Wimbledon on Wednesday.
Balogun gained valuable game time and made a huge impact, as the England U21 international started along with four other players of Nigerian descent in Alebiosu, Mazeed Ogungbo, Tim Akinola as well as goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, while Shoretire got 77 minutes for United.
James Olayinka came off Arsenal’s bench with 15 minutes left on the clock, while Joel Ideho and Ovie Ejeheri watched from the bench, but will hope for parts in the squad for their next Premier League 2 game against Chelsea, while Shoretire and United welcome Brighton & Hove Albion.
In Russia, Chelsea of England youth team player, Faustino Anjorin made his debut for Lokomotiv Moscow, which he joined on loan at the start of this month, and helped his side to a 2-0 victory over Krylya Sovetov Samara on Saturday afternoon.
Wearing the Russian railway-owned club’s iconic jersey number 10, the Nigerian-born England youth international stepped out onto RZD Arena turf in the 83rd minute in place of Fedor Smolov.
Two second half goals scored by François Kamano were enough to give Lokomotiv victory over the newly promoted club, but it was not a personally edifying outing for Anjorin, who many pundits rate among the hottest teenage prospects in English football.
Anjorin, who has been loaned to Lokomotiv for the whole season, in order to get a taste of first team football and with an option to buy, admitted he did not get the best of his debut in Russia, as he told Sport Express: “How can I rate my debut? Okay, but I could have played better.”
