For 12 years, James Olayinka had been dreaming of a moment that finally arrived on Monday evening.

The 18-year-old has risen through the age groups at Arsenal, and crowned just his second appearance for the first team by finding the top corner from 20 yards against Colorado Rapids in Denver.

After the match, the midfielder spoke to Arsenal.com - and here's what he said.

on his goal…

I just picked the ball up on the edge of the area and when I looked up, I saw the keeper on the other side. I took a shot, made sure it was on target, and luckily it went in.

on how it felt to see the ball go in…

I was actually on the floor when I kicked it, so when I looked up, it was just in time to see it hit the net. It's a great feeling. I'm just happy I got the goal really.

on what it means to score…

I've been here for 12 years now, so to finally score for the first team is a great feeling. I'm sure everyone at home is happy and hopefully there are many more to come.

on friends and family watching at home despite the time difference…

Yeah, my family and friends asked where to watch it on TV, so I'm sure they were watching. The time difference has made it tough for me to talk to people back home, so hopefully a few people stayed up so they could see the game.

on playing in front of a capacity crowd in Denver…

I think it's a bit nerve-wracking at first, because you come out to warm up and see a lot of people there. But once you get the first few passes out of the way, it gets easier. You grow into the game. It's a good feeling and a good experience.

on his hopes for the rest of the tour…

Just to keep training well in our sessions and hopefully the head coach could give me a chance in some of the bigger games we have along the way. Hopefully I can make the difference in those as well if I get the opportunity.