Clinical Arsenal Bury BATE To Sail Into UCL Last 16

21st February 2019

Volkov Zakhar gifted Arsenal with an own goal in the fourth minute before Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis found the back of the net in the 39th and 60th to stretch the lead

  Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
SUMMARY
  • Arsenal FC booked place in the last-16 of the Europa League with a comfortable 3-0 (3-1 Agg) victory against BATE Borisov on Thursday evening
  • Arsenal continued to pour forward, with the lively Alex Iwobi coming within inches of doubling the advantage with a curling effort, although BATE did pose a threat on the break
  • Granit Xhaka and Aubameyang were next to test Denis Scherbitski in the Borisov goal, before Shkodran Mustafi made it two for Arsenal just before the interval, powering home a header from a corner
  • Iwobi came close to adding a third with a skidding low shot that was pushed away by Scherbitski, before former Gunner Alex Hleb came on for the visitors to a huge roar from the Emirates crowd

LONDON, United Kingdom- Arsenal FC booked place in the last-16 of the Europa League with a comfortable 3-0 (3-1 Agg) victory against BATE Borisov on Thursday evening.

If there were any early nerves at the prospect of Arsenal trying to overturn the first-leg deficit, they were soon dispelled when, after an opening blitz, the Gunners took the lead in the fourth minute.

It arrived in fortuitous circumstances when Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang dropped his shoulder and powered away down the right before seeing his low cross diverted into his own goal by Zakhar Volkov.

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It was the perfect start – and Arsenal’s fastest goal in European competition since Lukas Podolski’s strike against Galatasaray back in December 2014.

Arsenal continued to pour forward, with the lively Alex Iwobi coming within inches of doubling the advantage with a curling effort, although BATE did pose a threat on the break.

From one such counter, the visitors came perilously close to equalising when Stephan Lichtsteiner was forced to clear off the line from Stanislav Dragun, who scored the only goal of the game in the first leg.

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Granit Xhaka and Aubameyang were next to test Denis Scherbitski in the Borisov goal, before Shkodran Mustafi made it two for Arsenal just before the interval, powering home a header from a corner.

Arsenal had the lead in the tie, but there was still no margin for error as an away goal for the visitors could still send them out– and Igor Stasevich had an opening at the start of the second half, only to see Petr Cech save his stabbed shot.

Iwobi came close to adding a third with a skidding low shot that was pushed away by Scherbitski, before former Gunner Alex Hleb came on for the visitors to a huge roar from the Emirates crowd.

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Arsenal extended the lead, once again from a corner, when Sokratis – only on the pitch for 226 seconds - rose highest at the far post to head home to give the Gunners some breathing space in the tie.

Aubameyang dinked a shot inches wide after rounding the goalkeeper, but there were no further goals as Arsenal secureda place in Friday’s last-16 draw.