Viking FK 0-8 Arsenal: Eight-goal Arsenal sink Viking FK in Norway
Posted Saturday, August 06, 2016 by Skysports.com
Joel Campbell (R) scored two for Arsenal against Viking.
Seven second-half goals saw Arsenal overwhelm Norwegian opponents Viking in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Friday night.
Joel Campbell handed Arsenal a first-half lead after Santi Cazorla saw his penalty saved three minutes into the match.
Arsenal went on to dominate the second half, and a blistering ten-minute spell saw them score four, with Cazorla and Theo Walcott netting before an own goal and Campbell's second.
Alex Iwobi then scored two as it became all too easy for Arsenal, before Chuba Akpom rounded off the victory with a last-minute strike.
Arsene Wenger's men face Manchester City in Sweden on Sunday for their last friendly, with both Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey expected to feature.
Arsene Wenger receives a sword ahead of Arsenal's friendly against Viking FK.
The Gunners had the perfect opportunity to take the lead early on after Mathieu Debuchy was brought down in the box.
However, Cazorla, who started the match as captain, placed his penalty at an easy height for Iven Austbo, and the Viking 'keeper parried the ball away to safety.
The visitors continued to press for an opener, and Mohamed Elneny's header was superbly tipped away after Walcott's initial strike deflected for a corner.
It was another Cazorla corner which brought about the first goal, as his cross found Elneny rising high once more.
The Egyptian's header appeared to be going narrowly wide, but Campbell's quick-thinking saw him slide the ball in from barely a yard out to put Arsenal ahead.
Theo Walcott in action for Arsenal at Viking Stadion.
The flurry of Arsenal's second-half goals began on the 50-minute mark, as Cazorla atoned for his earlier penalty miss with a powerful effort from 25 yards out.
Three minutes later, Campbell picked out Walcott in the box, and the Englishman scored his first goal of pre-season with a tidy finish into the far corner.
A third goal in five minutes came from an Arsenal cross, with Michael Haukas clumsily chesting the ball into his own goal despite the 'keeper's best efforts to keep it out.
Arsenal's fifth came in the 59th minute after Iwobi's flick found Campbell, who then danced passed defenders and into the box before firing his shot in off the bar.
Alexis Sanchez watches on but does not feature for Arsenal.
It was then Iwobi's turn to get onto the scoresheet, sliding his first under the 'keeper before firing in a second thanks to a quality through ball from youngster Jeff Reine-Adelaide.
Akpom capped off the night with a tap-in, just moments after he saw two simple efforts in quick succession saved by the Viking goalkeeper.
Arsenal's match against Man City will be there final before the season begins, with Wenger's men hosting Liverpool on Sky Sports in their opening Premier League game next Sunday.
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