Gervinho has an instant impact for Arsenal with brace in Cologne win



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Posted Sunday, July 24, 2011 by theguardian.com

• Ivory Coast international scores twice in first 15 minutes
• Forward replaced early on after minor injury scare

Gervinho has an instant impact for Arsenal with brace in Cologne win
Arsenal's Gervinho celebrates scoring the opening goal after just seven minutes in Cologne.

Gervinho scored twice in his first 15 minutes as an Arsenal player as the Gunners beat Cologne 2-1 in a pre-season friendly in Germany on Saturday.

The Ivory Coast international, signed from the French champions Lille by Arsène Wenger earlier this month, made an impressive start by opening the scoring just seven minutes into the game with the Bundesliga side when he finished well after being sent clear on goal by a pass from Jack Wilshere.

Eight minutes later Gervinho made it 2-0, this time benefitting from good work on the right flank by Theo Walcott.

But Arsenal's new arrival did not get the chance to add to his double strike, as he was substituted just before the half-hour mark with what seemed to be a minor knock after colliding with the Cologne substitute goalkeeper, Miro Varvodic.

Arsenal's other new signing, Carl Jenkinson, had a far less memorable night when the teenage defender scored a spectacular own goal just before half-time, but the Gunners held on fairly comfortably in the second half and their evening was only soured by a serious-looking knee injury suffered by the 19-year-old midfielder Conor Henderson.

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