Football news - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace leads Arsenal to opening Europa League victory
/dnl.tntsports.co.uk/sd/img/placeholder/tnt_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 20/09/2018 at 23:07 GMT+1
Europa League Group E, Emirates Stadium - Arsenal 4 (Aubameyang 32', 56', Welbeck 48', Ozil 74') Vorskla Poltava 2 (Chesnakov 77', Sharpar 90')
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang helped himself to a double as Unai Emery's first European match in charge of Arsenal ended with a 4-2 win over Vorskla Poltava in their Group E opener.
The Gunners boss made eight changes from the weekend victory at Newcastle and it seemed to affect their rhythm as they only had the Gabon forward's clinical 32nd-minute strike to show for a laboured first-half display.
The Ukrainian minnows had worked tirelessly to keep Arsenal at bay but couldn't keep pace with the hosts when they moved up a gear following the restart.
Danny Welbeck nodded in from close range and Aubameyang curved a lovely finish into the bottom corner from outside the area to quickly put the hosts out of sight before the hour.
Substitute Mesut Ozil tapped home the fourth before Bernd Leno was denied a clean sheet on his debut when Vladimir Chesnakov and Vyacheslav Sharpar replied for the visitors.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to Sunday's Premier League clash at home to Everton with their next European encounter at FK Qarabag on October 4.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2018/09/20/2423136-50361490-2560-1440.jpg)
Volodymyr Chesnakov of Vorskla Poltava celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with his team mates during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT - Job done as the Emery era continues to move in the right direction
A fourth win in a row, plenty of goals and a run out for several fringe/up-and-coming players were the obvious positives from this match. The only negative was missing out on a first clean sheet. Those two late lapses were evidence (if needed) that there is still much work to be done to get Arsenal where they want to be.
It was always going to take time for the Gunners' new Spanish coach to make his mark and he didn't panic after losing two nightmare opening matches against Manchester City and Chelsea. They were expected to see off this little known Ukrainian side and the second-half performance offered enough to bolster the view that Arsenal are slowly building some useful momentum.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2018/09/20/2423138-50361530-2560-1440.jpg)
Arsenal's Spanish head coach Unai Emery gestures during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 20, 2018
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal): Took his two goals well, hit the post and also volleyed a good chance over in an impressive 57-minute showing. Goals breed confidence and this bodes well for Arsenal going forward.
PLAYER RATINGS
ARSENAL: Leno 6, Sokratis 6, Lichtsteiner 6, Holding 6, Monreal 6, Elneny 7, Mkhitaryan 7, Torreira 7, Iwobi 8, Welbeck 7, Aubameyang 8. Subs: Ozil 7, Guendouzi 6, Smith-Rowe 7.
VORSKLA: Shust 6, Perduta 6, Chesnakov 7, Dallku 6, De Souza 6, Sharpar 7, Kravchenko 6, Kobakhidze 6, Rebenok 6, Kulach 6, Kolomoets 6. Subs: Sklyar 6, Sergiychuk 6, Careca 6.
KEY MOMENTS
32' - GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Vorskla. Aubameyang slides a first-time shot into the far corner from Iwobi's super ball from the left. Arsenal catch the visitors cold with a ruthless counter attack that was initially led by Mkhitaryan.
12' - ARSENAL HIT THE POST! Aubameyang weaves in from the left, side steps a challenge and curls in a lovely effort that clips the foot of the far post.
48' - GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Vorskla. Welbeck easily nods Mkhitaryan's delightful cross from the left into the back of the net from close range.
56' - GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Vorskla. Aubameyang whips his second of the night into the bottom corner after latching on to Mkhitaryan's pass.
74' - GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Vorskla. Ozil makes it four as he prods in Lichtsteiner's high ball to the far post on the half volley.
76' - GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 Vorskla. No first clean sheet of the season for the Gunners. Chesnakov robs Lichtsteiner on the edge of the area and rifles high into the net.
90+3' - GOAL! Arsenal 4-2 Vorskla. Vyacheslav Sharpar rifles a stunning shot in from just outside the area. It's the last kick of the match and gives the travelling support one last cheer.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2018/09/20/2423139-50361550-2560-1440.jpg)
Vorskla Poltava's Ukrainian forward Mykhaylo Serhiychuk (L) vies with Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 20, 2018.
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY STATS
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been directly involved in 12 goals in 10 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium (nine goals and three assists).
- Welbeck has scored in both of his first two home appearances of the 2018-19 campaign, while the last time he scored in consecutive outings at the Emirates was in his first two home appearances of 2017-18.
- Arsenal’s six games in all competitions in 2018-19 have seen a total of 25 goals scored (14 for and 11 against), at an average of 4.2 per game.
- Emery recorded his 32nd victory in the Europa League this evening; the most of any manager in competition history.
Related Topics
Share this article