Akpom hat-trick inspires Arsenal rout in Barclays Asia Trophy
Arsenal kicked off their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 4-0 victory over a Singapore Select XI, as Chuba Akpom scored a hat-trick.
The win sends the Gunners through to the Barclays Asia Trophy final, in which they will face Premier League rivals Everton on Saturday. Akpom put the tourists ahead on the half-hour mark with a 12-yard finish, while he capped his performance off in the second half with a penalty and a hat-trick sealing header.
A Jack Wilshere spot kick was sandwiched in between the 19-year-old's strikes as Arsenal opened their 2015/16 preparations with plenty of promise. New signing Petr Cech was made to wait for his debut in a Gunners shirt, while Akpom starred in a makeshift front three along with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alex Iwobi.
It was Nigerian Iwobi who almost broke the deadlock just after 15 minutes, with his low effort saved by Izwan Mahbud, who recovered to thwart Oxlade-Chamberlain's follow-up. Oxlade-Chamberlain then turned provider and, after a blistering run, assisted Akpom following a sweeping Gunners move.
Mathieu Debuchy then won a penalty for Arsene Wenger's side which the impressive Wilshere slammed home, and Akpom was next up to successfully try his luck from 18 yards after Jon Toral was felled in the area, Akpom then dispatched Hector Bellerin's cross from the right to round off his hat-trick, with Arsenal now preparing to face a familiar foe in Everton in Saturday's final.
