Shock loss fails to stop Gunners’ march
Crowd violence mars Bilbao-Spartak match, Dortmund progress despite 1-1 draw at Atalanta
>> LONDON: Arsenal scraped into the last 16 of the Europa League despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds, but Thursday’s action was marred by violent clashes at the match between Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow.
Two quickfire first-half goals gave Swedish minnows Ostersunds hope of a sensational comeback at the Emirates, but Sead Kolasinac’s goal just after the interval saw Arsenal hang on for a 4-2 win on aggregate.
“At 2-0 we thought we had a chance. We played well, won the game but it was just short of the miracle,” Ostersunds coach Graham Potter told BT Sport.
A Basque police officer died as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in Bilbao.
“We can confirm that a Basque policeman died on Thursday,” said a press spokesman for Ertzaintza, the Basque police region.
Authorities later said that the police officer collapsed on his own and died of cardiac arrest and not in a direct confrontation with fans.
“Five people have been arrested. We do not know if they are all supporters of Spartak, but many of them are Russians.”
More than 500 police officers had been deployed for the high-risk return leg of the tie, which Bilbao won 4-3 on aggregate despite a 2-1 loss on the night.
Having cruised to a 3-0 victory in the first leg last week, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal appeared complacent and were caught out by the vibrant visitors to the Emirates.
Midfielder Hosam Aiesh capped off a slick move for the underdogs to pull one back in the 22nd minute, running onto Saman Ghoddos’ through ball and slotting into the corner with the aid of a deflection off Calum Chambers.
The hapless Arsenal centre-back was caught out just 69 seconds later as the home fans were left stunned, with winger Ken Sema spinning Chambers and drilling a low finish past Gunners goalkeeper David Ospina.
Potter may have been thinking back to his side’s missed injurytime penalty in the first-leg 3-0 loss, but they continued to press as Arsenal laboured.
The Premier League side made it to half-time with a 3-2 aggregate lead intact, but were booed off the field by their own supporters.
Marcel Schmelzer’s late equaliser saw Borussia Dortmund grab a 1-1 draw at Atalanta to edge into the next round.
Serie A leaders Napoli gave RB Leipzig a serious fright in Germany, but a 2-0 win was in vain as last week’s 3-1 loss proved too much to come back from.