Another Arsenal Star Scores On Full National Team Debut

Image credit: Getty Images

Following Myles Lewis-Skelly’s impressive senior debut for England last week, another Arsenal youngster, Ethan Nwaneri, has made his mark on the international stage. The 18-year-old scored on his full England Under-21 debut, helping Lee Carsley’s side secure a 4-2 friendly victory over Portugal at The Hawthorns.

Nwaneri, widely regarded as one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects, needed just 10 minutes to open his account, curling a stunning effort into the bottom corner after receiving a pass from Jobe Bellingham. His goal came shortly after Hayden Hackney had given England the lead, pouncing on a Portuguese defensive error to fire home from outside the box.

Portugal responded in the 22nd minute, with Fabio Silva tapping in a cross from Rodrigo Pinheiro after Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes orchestrated the move. The visitors nearly found an equaliser when Gustavo Sá struck the post following a rebound from James Beadle’s save.

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Looking to bounce back from their 5-3 loss to France three days earlier, England injected fresh energy into the match when Carsley made five second-half substitutions. CJ Egan-Riley’s header set up Omari Hutchinson for England’s third, before Carlos Borges pulled one back for Portugal late on. However, Jaden Philogene ensured the victory in stoppage time with his fourth goal at the U21 level.

***Ethan Nwaneri scored on his full England U21 debut (Image credit: Getty Images)***

The result marked Carsley’s first win since returning to the Under-21s after his interim spell with the senior squad, while Nwaneri’s standout performance further cemented his reputation as a rising star.

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Meanwhile, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has praised the club’s emerging talents, revealing that he has taken on a mentorship role for Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, and 15-year-old Max Dowman.

“We’re blessed to have them,” Rice said, speaking about the trio. “They’re incredibly talented, and it’s exciting for Arsenal’s future.”

Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri have already broken into Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad this season, with Lewis-Skelly making headlines by scoring on his senior England debut. Dowman, though only 15, has regularly trained with Arsenal’s senior team and was part of the squad’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai last month.