Folarin Balogun had only been on the pitch a few seconds – 37 of them, to be precise – when he received the ball in the box, turned, and fired into the net.
That goal put the gloss on a convincing Arsenal win away at Molde in the Europa League group stages, and it felt like a big moment for the 19-year-old.
This was only his second appearance for the club, amid talk that he could be on his way out with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. That he marked it with a goal, and a clinically taken one, felt significant.
There is, of course, a long way to go before Balogun can be talked about as a future first-team regular. The academy graduate is still a newcomer, still proving himself having made the step up from the youth ranks.
But he could hardly have envisaged a better outcome when he emerged from the bench late on in Arsenal’s victory on Thursday night. Fellow youngster Emile Smith Rowe created the goal, played in down the left before cutting the ball back into the middle.
In the centre of the box, Balogun’s first touch was good, and his second even better. His shot had enough on it to beat the diving goalkeeper, who couldn’t keep it out despite getting a touch with his right leg.
Balogun’s team-mates were clearly delighted to see the teenager open his account, with Dani Ceballos and Nicolas Pepe celebrating alongside him with particular enthusiasm. Most importantly, though, this will have impressed Arteta.
Asked about the possibility of Balogun leaving before Thursday night’s game, the Arsenal boss said: “Yes, he is a player that I want.
“He is a player that I want to stay at the club. I love working with young players. You can see the talent is there, the ambition is there and he can fit with our structure and progress in the future.
"He's part of the DNA and myself and the club are working to try to extend his contract. We're trying to change the situation that we are in at the moment with him, and trying to convince him that this is the right place for him.”
If Arteta had any remaining doubts, they will have gone now. Even from such a brief cameo, it’s clear that Balogun is a prospect worth placing his trust in.
And it should convince Arsenal to offer the American a new deal. Losing him on a free transfer, after the start he has made, would feel like a missed opportunity.
“He had some difficult months with all the speculation around him, he’s handled the situation in a really mature way,” said Arteta after the Molde win. “He wants to stay, we want him to stay. We gave him the opportunity and he took it straight away.”
There will be more challenges to come for Balogun, who will not always score with his first touch of the ball. It must be remembered that this came against a tiring Molde defence, too, with the result already secure.
But the signs are promising, and Arsenal should prioritise tying the youngster down for the foreseeable future.
