Lacazette quick off the mark to extend opening day record
Alexandre Lacazette scored the joint-fastest goal on the opening day of a Premier League season by heading home after 94 seconds of Arsenal’s game against Leicester City.
The Gunners’ record signing brought Emirates Stadium to its feet by steering Mohamed Elneny’s cross past Kasper Schmeichel.
It brings him level with former Arsenal favourite Kevin Campbell, who breached Manchester City swiftly at Highbury in 1994, while Colombia great Faustino Asprilla also punished Sheffield Wednesday in the second minute of the 1997-98 campaign while at Newcastle United.
The goal also continued Lacazette’s phenomenal record in the first game of top-flight seasons over recent years – one he might need to add to after Leicester forwards Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy turned the game on its head.
1 – Alexandre Lacazette has scored his 1st Premier League goal on his first shot. Dream. pic.twitter.com/qQebYfRvRZ
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) August 11, 2017
He now has seven in five on the opening day – a run that began with a brace in Lyon’s 4-0 win over Nice in 2013.
The France striker netted as Rennes were beaten 2-0 a year later and, although Lorient shackled him in 2015, the 26-year-old punished Nancy with a hat-trick last term.
Lacazette is the seventh Arsenal player to score on his first Premier League appearance.
7 – Alexandre Lacazette is just the 7th @Arsenal player to score on his Premier League debut for the club. Rapid. pic.twitter.com/bBtvo51yDG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 11, 2017
Campbell and Steve Bould were on target when George Graham’s side suffered a 4-2 home defeat to Norwich, an inauspicious maiden outing in the initial Premier League season.
Fredrik Ljungberg marked his debut with the final goal in a 3-0 win over Manchester United in September 1998, while Emmanuel Adebayor got off on the right foot away to Birmingham City in February 2006.
Samir Nasri and Thomas Vermaelen were on target in consecutive opening day wins over West Brom and Everton in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
