VIDEO: That's why Arsenal paid £1m! Record-breaking new signing Olivia Smith scores OUTRAGEOUS long-range goal on Gunners debut

All eyes were on Olivia Smith, the record-breaking £1 million signing from Liverpool, and the 19-year-old Canadian didn’t just live up to the hype, she blew the roof off with a sensational strike on her debut. Riding on the sensational solo goal, the Gunners demolished London City Lionesses 4-1 at the Emirates in front of 38,142 roaring supporters.

VIDEO: That's why Arsenal paid £1m! Record-breaking new signing Olivia Smith scores OUTRAGEOUS long-range goal on Gunners debutVIDEO: That's why Arsenal paid £1m! Record-breaking new signing Olivia Smith scores OUTRAGEOUS long-range goal on Gunners debutVIDEO: That's why Arsenal paid £1m! Record-breaking new signing Olivia Smith scores OUTRAGEOUS long-range goal on Gunners debut

Despite Arsenal’s pedigree as champions of Europe, it was the newcomers who stunned the crowd first. In the 17th minute, Katie Reid clipped Kosovare Asllani inside the box. The experienced Swede dusted herself off and coolly slotted her penalty low past Daphne van Domselaar to hand the Lionesses their first-ever top-flight goal.

For a moment, it looked like Arsenal’s season opener might turn sour. Enter Smith. Picking up possession outside the box, the teenager skipped past Maria Perez before unleashing a scintillating curling effort that bent away from the goalkeeper and nestled perfectly into the bottom corner.And the Emirates erupted.

Speaking post-match to بي بي سي Smith could hardly contain her delight: “That’s the kind of goal I want to score. Whenever I see a gap, I’m going for it. To do it here, on my debut, was special.”

After 61 minutes, Smith’s unforgettable debut came to an end. As the teenager jogged off, the entire stadium rose to applaud her. A standing ovation for Arsenal’s first £1m player, who had already justified every penny with one swing of her boot. Arsenal now turn their focus to away on September 12, with Smith expected to play an increasingly central role in the Gunners’ quest to win the WSL crown.