Europa League: Arsenal and Chelsea are in strong position in semi-final ties
I’ll never get over Aubamabludclatyang ‘s flip , Elite celebration 😍😍😍 #ARSVAL https://t.co/6nO6SUoZBH
— 🇵🇸 🇨🇩 🇸🇩 (@QuitePeter) May 2, 2019
- FT: Arsenal 3-1 Valencia
- Diakhaby heads in from corner (11)
- Lacazette levels on counter (18)
- Lacazette nods Gunners ahead (26)
- Aubameyang adds late third (90)
- Ozil in as one of three changes
- Valencia drop four from weekend loss
- Europa League semi-final first leg
- Return leg on Thursday, May 9
- Winner plays Frankfurt or Chelsea in final
Arsenal have one foot in the Europa League final after an excellent comeback from an early horror show at the Emirates, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s late third giving them a two-goal advantage to take to Spain for the second leg with Valencia.
It took until the final minute for Arsenal to get the third goal they wanted, but even 2-1 would have been a good scoreline given the Spanish side’s early dominance and opening goal. After a leveller out of nothing though, the hosts were in control and there are some big cheers at the Emirates at full-time.
- FT: Frankfurt 1-1 Chelsea
- Jovic heads home opener (23)
- Two Frankfurt changes
- Hazard on bench in five changes
- Europa League semi-final first leg
- Return leg on Thursday, May 9
Pedro scored a vital away goal for Chelsea in their Europa League semi-final first leg 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt.
There was a raucous atmosphere ahead of kick-off and the home fans were rewarded when Luka Jovic headed home in the 23rd minute.
But Chelsea soon found their rhythm and Pedro made it count with the equaliser – and an away goal – as he fired home on the stroke of half-time.
Frankfurt: Trapp, Hinteregger, Abraham, Hasebe, Falette, Fernandes, Rode, Da Costa, Jovic, Kostic, Gacinovic.
Subs: Ronnow, Ndicka, De Guzman, Willems, Torro, Chandler, Paciencia.
Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Christensen, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Willian, Giroud, Pedro.
Subs: Caballero, Zappacosta, Alondo, Kovacic, Barkley, Hazard, Higuain.
DID YOU KNOW?…
- This is Eintracht Frankfurt’s first European semi-final since 1979/80, when they ultimately won the UEFA Cup after defeating Bayern Munich and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the semi-finals and finals respectively.
- This will be Chelsea’s ninth major European semi-final appearance in the Abramovich era (since 2003/04); no club has appeared in more since then (Barcelona also nine).
- These two sides have never previously faced off; Eintracht have lost at home to English opposition just once before in all European competitions – 0-1 vs Nottingham Forest in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1967/68.
VALENCIA TEAM NEWS
Valencia team to play Arsenal: Neto, Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Diakhaby, Gaya, Soler, Parejo, Roncaglia, Guedes, Rodrigo.
Subs: Domenech, Lato, Wass, Santi Mina, Ruben Sobrino, Torres, Gameiro.