Lacazette brace seals comfortable Arsenal victory in Europa League semi-final

An Alexandre Lacazette brace along with a late Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal helped Arsenal defeat Valencia 3-1 at the Emirates in their Europa League semi-final first leg.

An early Alexander Lacazette penalty claim set the tone for the hosts as Arsenal looked to avoid repeating the first leg defeats suffered against BATE Borisov and Rennes in the earlier knock-out rounds, albeit those ties being played away from north London.

Their Spanish visitors were happy to counter, the coolness in the centre from captain Dani Parejo an asset for Los Che.

It was Parejo’s early free-kick that almost gave the travelling fans something to cheer. After Rodrigo had spun to the back post, the Spanish international clipped a delightful ball to the unmarked Rodrigo whose volley across goal was cleared before Ezequiel Garay was able to pounce. 

It didn’t take long however for Valencia to claim the first goal of the tie. 

A Jose Gaya run forced a corner and another chance for Parejo to display his quality. The 30-year-old clipped a flighted ball again onto the head of Rodrigo, who this time found the target he was looking for in Mouctar Diakhaby. The 6’4″ Frenchman found no difficultly in rising highest at the back post to nod home and give Marcelino’s team the lead.

Chances continued to be forthcoming as the visitors broke up play in central midfield and broke through Gonçalo Guedes and Rodrigo but it would be the hosts to strike back. 

Alexandre Lacazette played through his strike partner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who cut inside of his man, simultaneously committing goalkeeper Neto, before rolling the ball back to Lacazette to roll into an empty net.

Aubameyang fired over for a chance to gain the lead, the goals seemingly far from over in the one. 

Lacazette did what Aubameyang failed to a few minutes later to grab his brace. After a beautifully weighted ball from Granit Xhaka, the Frenchman’s header was tipped onto the inside of the post from Neto, who despite getting a strong hand to it couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line. One quick glance at the watch confirmed the decision for referee Clement Turpin, sending the Emirates into jubilant celebrations. 

The game eventually settled down before half-time with only an Aubameyang volley going close for either side and Unai Emery would have been pleased with the reaction of his Arsenal team after their early set back, the Gunners leading 2-1 at half-time. 

A strong run from former Bolton Wanderers forward Rodrigo started the second half, Marcelino’s men clearly keen to grab a second away goal.

A Guedes break was stopped by Sokratis as the tempo of the game dropped from the frantic pace of the first period.

Aubameyang almost combined with former Lyon striker Lacazette for him to claim his hat-trick, only for the 27-year-old to scuff his effort from the Gabonese international’s cross. 

Somehow, a couple of minutes later, he failed to grab the match ball once again. After the ball broke kindly to the striker, his low shot was firstly saved by the legs of Neto before the Frenchman missed another chance from the rebound. 

Petr Cech was the next keeper called into action. The Czech flapped at a Valencia corner before saving low from substitute Kevin Gameiro moments later to ensure Arsenal wouldn’t regret their dominance.

Entering the final fifteen minutes, Emery’s team were keen to be taking a two-goal lead to the Mestalla next week. 

Sead Kolasinac had looked dangerous down the Gunners left all game but his pull back inside the area found no red shirt. 

Marcelino’s team then had a chance to level proceedings with 82 minutes on the clock. After a Daniel Wass free-kick was cleared, the Dane was fed back the ball to volley across goal. He found Gameiro, who after juggling the ball for a while, volleyed over from close range.

There was time for Arsenal to find another and strengthen their grip on the tie further. After a Lacazette shot stung the palms of Neto, the striker fed Kolasinac to cross. The Bosnian lifted the ball towards the far post where through a sea of bodies, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang emerged to prod home.a vital third.

Arsenal’s record signing would have been relieved to finally get his goal on the night after an array of chances, the strike a real blow to the travelling Spaniards.

Time eventually did expire on this Europa League semi-final first leg as Arsenal settled on a 3-1 lead to take ti Valencia next Thursday. Unai Emery has once again lived to his reputation in this competition, Arsenal the clear favourites to secure their place in Baku on 29th May. 

Arsenal XI: Cech, Sokratis, Koscielny (Monreal, 82), Mustafi, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi (Torreira, 58), Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil (Mkhitaryan, 75), Aubameyang, Lacazette

Arsenal unused substitutes: Leno, Elneny, Iwobi, Nketiah

Valencia XI: Neto, Roncaglia, Gabriel, Diakhaby, Garay, Gaya, Parejo, Soler (Wass, 71), Piccini, Rodrigo (Mina, 88), Guedes (Gameiro, 71)

Valencia unused substitutes: Domenech, Lato, Sobrino, Torres