Viktor Gyokeres believes his Arsenal debut in Hong Kong last summer set the stage for a remarkable season which the striker continued on a high note in Sweden’s 5-1 World Cup win over Tunisia.
Gyokeres made his Arsenal debut as a substitute in a 1-0 friendly defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at the Kai Tak Stadium last July.
After contributing 14 goals to help the London club end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, Gyokeres delivered a display of the consummate centre-forward, scoring once and setting up another, as Sweden saw off Tunisia at Monterrey on Sunday.
“Hong Kong was a great experience. It was amazing for the atmosphere and the fans there,” Gyokeres told the South China Morning Post. “My teammates received me in a very good way from day one. I felt like I was one of them immediately, so I already felt good when I was in Hong Kong.
“Also, it was the same weather as (Monterrey), so it was good that I got some experience and knew what to expect for this game (against Tunisia).”
While a member of Tunisia’s senior squad was told by a local journalist that people back home were “embarrassed” by the team, and others apologized for the poor performance that cost head coach Sabri Lamouchi his job, the Swedish squad were talking and cheering.
