Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Hat-Trick Highlights Arsenal Win Over Boreham Wood

Unai Emery got his Arsenal career off to a winning start as the Gunners thrashed National League side Boreham Wood 8-0 in their first pre-season match. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang needed just 17 minutes to bag a hat-trick in the first half.

Boreham Wood were never expected to put up much of a fight, and Arsenal were remarkably sharp for a match this early in pre-season. Reiss Nelson and Alexandre Lacazette also got on the scoresheet in the opening 45 minutes, and Edward Nketiah, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored after the break.

Here's a look at Arsenal's starting XI:

For the fans, it was great opportunity to see a few new signings in action, as well as a first glimpse at how the team would play under Emery. Predictably, the Gunners put pressure on their overmatched opponents early, and Aubameyang curled home a lovely strike after just six minutes.

When he doubled his tally before 10 minutes had even passed, it was clear it would be one-way traffic:

Nelson earned his side a penalty to hand Aubameyang an opportunity from the spot, and the Gabon international converted to complete his hat-trick.

Boreham Wood had a handful of chances in the first half, putting Petr Cech to work. The National League side appeared to target summer signing Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and the former Borussia Dortmund man was a little shaky in his first appearance for the club.

His lack of pace may be a worry going into the Premier League season:

Nelson's goal was a beauty, a powerful volley after he brought the ball down nicely, and Lacazette didn't fail in a one-on-one situation. He and Aubameyang combined well in the first half, which is a positive sign for fans hoping they'll pair up in competitive matches as well.

The entire team was swapped around for the second half, and it was Nketiah who continued the scoring after the break. The 19-year-old prospect timed his run toward goal perfectly, meeting a cross with almost no effort.

Reine-Adelaide also flashed his considerable talent, making it 7-0 with a clean strike from distance, and Mkhitaryan got in on the fun late with a simple finish. 

Arsenal's first major test should come on July 26, when they face Atletico Madrid in Singapore in their first fixture for the International Champions Cup.