Gyokeres credits Arsenal debut for stellar season

Viktor Gyokeres believes his Arsenal debut in Hong Kong last summer laid the platform for an extraordinary season that the striker extended with a terrific performance in Sweden’s 5-1 World Cup thumping of Tunisia.

Billed as the final piece of the puzzle when head coach Mikel Arteta paid Sporting Lisbon £64 million (US$86 million) for his services, Gyokeres played his first Arsenal match as a substitute in their 1-0 friendly defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Kai Tak Stadium in July last year.

After contributing 14 goals to help the London club end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, Gyokeres delivered a consummate centre-forward’s display, scoring once and creating another, as Sweden cut Tunisia to ribbons in Monterrey on Sunday.

“Hong Kong was a great experience. It was amazing with the atmosphere and so many fans there,” Gyokeres told the South China Morning Post. “My teammates received me in a very good way from day one. It felt like I was one of them straightaway, so I already felt good when I was in Hong Kong.

“Also, it was the same climate as [Monterrey], so it was good that I got to experience it and knew what to expect for this game [against Tunisia].”

While a member of Tunisia’s chastened squad was told by a journalist from the country that people at home were “ashamed” of the team, and others sheepishly apologised for a pallid performance that cost head coach Sabri Lamouchi his job, the Swedish contingent were talkative and buoyant.