RUTHLESS AUBA HAS GUNNERS DREAMING
Striker hits stunning hat-trick to set up showdown with Chelsea
In this week of tall stories with twisted tails, it was Arsenal who defied their stereotype, produced some backbone and simply refused to be rattled.
it was Unai Emery and his players who defended their lead after Barcelona and Ajax had crumbled, who held their nerve to set up a Europa League final showdown with London rivals Chelsea.
it was lethal frontman PierreEmerick Aubameyang who led the way with his first hat-trick for the club and strike partner Alexandre Lacazette offered support.
Petr Cech conceded three times across the two legs but can still dream of ending his career with an emotional victory against his former club and his hands clasped around the Europa League trophy. they did it their way, of course. this being Arsenal, it was not without a scare.
At the back they suffered. no one more than young Ainsley Maitland-niles, but they refused to yield andnd the 21-year-old wing-back won his personal nal struggle to cross ss for the third.
Kevin Gameiro stirred Valencia’s drums of war with an early goal and the Mestalla shook, but if Emery’s side lack the e defensive solidity ty to shut opponents nts out, they have firepower fireanother to keep another miracle fightback at bay. bay
Arsenal’s front two were magnificent. Between them they scored all seven goals across both legs. Aubameyang calmed the nerves last night with a vital interjection when Valencia were threatening to swarm all over the visitors.
Lacazette put them 2-1 up and erased any thought of the second half starting like the first. his goal gave them the edge in case the away-goals rule came into the
equation. it didn’t. Gameiro grabbed his second but so did Aubameyang, who then added a third, slammed into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the closing minutes. it was his 29th of the season and with his athletic style and clinical finishing, he is beginning to draw comparisons to thierry henry. the tie ended in an ugly scuffle which explodedexp around Gabriel and Maitlandniles nilesMaitlandniles but Arsenal will face Chelsea in Baku in the final at the enend of the month. One step beyond last season when they were ousted at this stage by Atletico Madrid. in 22 years uunder Arsene WWenger, they were lolosing finalists in the old UEFA Cup — beaten on penaltiepenalties by Galatasaray in 2000 — and in the Champions League, beaten by Barcelona in 2006. Emery, a serial winner in this competition, is seeking to end the club’s drought of 25 years without a European trophy. it has been a long wait since Alan smith’s winner in Copenhagen. is this the year? Progress under Emery has been fitful but this could be a night which emboldens character. Arsenal arrived with the comfort of a twogoal cushion but Valencia were inspired by the spectacular revivals of Liverpool and tottenham. thousands greeted the teams on the streets outside the Mestalla with firecrackers and flares and a raucous din.
Emery, who was Valencia boss for four years, was roundly jeered as he skipped from the bus.
they have never forgiven him for his euphoric celebrations when his sevilla team scored in the final seconds of the Europa League semi-final against Valencia five years ago. this was never going to be an affectionate homecoming.
Marcelino unleashed his team at a terrific tempo, focused on attacking the areas behind Maitlandniles. Laurent Koscielny made a vital intervention at the near post as Gameiro spun behind the young defender and fizzed a cross towards Jose Gaya.
Goncalo Guedes fired over on the run from the left and the home team went ahead when Guedes released Rodrigo and his low cross was converted from close range by Gameiro.
Valencia did not step back and went after a second goal. One sweet strike by Rodrigo crashed into a team-mate, another whistled narrowly wide, before Arsenal pierced the momentum with a classic English aerial attack.
Cech’s long clearance was misjudged in the air by former Arsenal centre back Gabriel, who was then beaten to the second header by Lacazette. Aubameyang pounced to take the flick on his chest and fire low into the corner.
the Mestalla caught its breath. the travelling fans celebrated high in one corner.
Valencia’s dangerous early rhythm was disrupted and Arsenal took courage from this reminder of frailty.
Lacazette missed a wonderful chance to seize control just before the interval, clipping the outside of a post, after Aubameyang sped down the right past Gaya. he really ought to have scored but he made amends early in the second half.
Aubameyang won the ball at the start of the move, sliding a pass inside to Lucas torreira, who found Lacazette in the penalty area.
this time there was no mistake with the finish, a fabulous piece of close control in a crowded area, a cool strike and a stylish knee-slide towards a mob of jubilant substitutes erupting from the Arsenal bench.
Gameiro, who won this competition three times under Emery at sevilla, claimed his second to level on the night when he diverted a shot by Rodrigo past Cech.
there were still more than 30 minutes to go, but Aubameyang struck the third from a cross by Maitland-niles and completed the scoring from a pass by substitute henrikh Mkhitaryan.
‘We’re on our way,’ sang their fans at the end. Baku to the future.