Arsenal scored three goals within six minutes of the first half to reach the Europa League semi-finals as they eased past hosts Slavia Prag...
Arsenal scored three goals within six minutes of the first half to reach the Europa League semi-finals as they eased past hosts Slavia Prague 4-0 on Thursday.
Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka crammed their goals in between the 18th and 24th minutes and Lacazette then added another in the second half to round off the score and a 5-1 aggregate win.
Arsenal will face Spain’s Villarreal in the semi-finals starting on April 29.
The Gunners must win the Europa League to qualify for next season’s Champions League as they are languishing in ninth place in the Premier League.
“It was great to see the players, how they approached the game and how brave they were,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, hailing the game as “a sample of the efficiency you need to win matches in Europe”.
“Games are decided in both boxes and we were ruthless in both of them today. We kept a clean sheet, we scored four and we could have scored more.”
Pepe opened the scoring as he beat Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar at the post from close range.
He was set up by Emile Smith Rowe who had shaken off two Slavia defenders and nutmegged another with the final pass.
Lacazette added a second from the penalty spot three minutes...
