Auba sparks late show

ARSENAL warmed up for their crucial Europa League quarter- final with a flattering 3-0 victory against relegation-threatened Stoke yesterday.

Three goals in the final 15 minutes put a gloss on a largely soporific performance at a well-below capacity Emirates Stadium.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the first two, including a penalty opener.

Substitute Alexandre Lacazette netted the third, also from the spot, after he had been fouled.

Jack Wilshere missed both England’s friendlies with the Netherlands and Italy but recovered from a knee niggle to claim Arsenal’s captain armband for the day, with goalkeeper Petr Cech absent and defender Laurent Koscielny on the bench.

Aaron Ramsey and Wilshere were both culpable in the first 15 minutes.

Arsenal almost took an undeserved lead when Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland produced a punch that will not have improved his chances of being England’s No. 1 in the World Cup.

Neither side made any changes in the interval but Arsenal at least began with added urgency, with Danny Welbeck lashing a chance just wide.

Wenger finally made a switch as the fit-again Lacazette came on for Welbeck, while Diouf, having taken a knock, was replaced by Saido Berahino.

Xherdan Shaqiri curled a right-footer straight at Ospina before seeing a corner deceive the keeper and bounce off the back post.

Aubameyang was denied by a good block by Butland moments before the award of the game-deciding penalty in the 75th minute.

Bruno Martins Indi’s clumsy trip of Mesut Ozil was needless and Aubameyang made him pay as he sent Butland the wrong way from the spot. Stoke gave Aubameyang too much space for a simple second goal in the 86th minute.

And when Badou Ndiaye bundled over Lacazette in the 89th minute, the France striker was given a chance to convert the penalty instead of Aubameyang going for a hattrick. – AFP