Brentford begin pre-season campaign with draw in Portugal
Aaron Hickey returned to first-team action and there were debuts for Brentford’s new signings as the Bees drew 1-1 in a pre-season friendly with Gil Vicente in Portugal in new head coach Keith Andrews’ first game at the helm.
Igor Thiago scored a first-half equaliser for Andrews’ side, tapping in after being set up by Mikkel Damsgaard, after the Portuguese team had taken an early lead.
Jordan Henderson and keeper Caoimhín Kelleher featured for Brentford for the first time, as did fellow recent signing Antoni Milambo.
And full-back Hickey, out since October 2023 through injury, played the second half to finally end his wait for a first-team return.
On a less positive note, however, Gustavo Nunes went off injured early in the second half, having been brought on at the interval.
Brentford (first half): Kelleher; Kayode, van den Berg, Collins, Meghoma; Henderson, Jensen; Carvalho, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.
Second half: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Ajer, Arthur, Henry; Milambo, Yarmoliuk; Nunes (Donovan 58), Trevitt (Konak 82), Lewis-Potter, Peart-Harris.
