Sokratis celebrates scoring Arsenal’s third goal in their win over BATE
LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 21 – Arsenal produced the vintage performance they needed to cruise into the Europa League last-16 with a 3-0 (3-1 agg) win over BATE.
Trailing after a shock 1-0 loss in the away leg, Arsenal’s response was instant and they were given a helping hand to level the tie within four minutes when Zakhar Volkov turned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s low cross into his own goal under no pressure.
Arsenal went ahead in the tie for the first time five minutes before the break, when Shkodran Mustafi headed home Granit Xhaka’s corner at the far post.
The tie was still finely-balanced but a third goal would all-but seal Arsenal’s progress, and it duly arrived on the hour when substitute Sokratis nodded in from close range when Denis Scherbitski missed his punch from another Xhaka corner, and he fired into the empty net.
More to follow…
