Arsenal, Man Utd in semis
ROMA, VILLAREAL AND UK GIANTS EARN EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL SPOTS
ARSENAL cruised past Slavia Prague 4-0 to book a Europa League semi-final spot on Thursday after they struck three quick-fire goals in seven first-half minutes to advance 5-1 on aggregate.
Alexandre Lacazette scored twice, including a penalty, while Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka also found the net in the quarterfinal second leg to set up a lastfour clash with Villarreal.
“I feel like in the first leg we played really well but didn’t take our chances,” Arsenal’s Saka told BT Sport.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Pepe drove a shot home from a pass by Emile Smith-Rowe, who had a goal disallowed for offside minutes earlier after a VAR review.
Lacazette then coolly slotted in a spot-kick after 21 minutes after Czech midfielder Jakub Hromada bundled over Saka. Arsenal struck again three minutes later when Saka cut inside a defender and fired a low shot past keeper Ondrej Kolar.
Lacazette netted his second of the night in the 77th minute when he latched onto Pepe’s cross before jinking away from two defenders to create some space to beat the Czech keeper. Arsenal, who ended Slavia’s 21-match unbeaten streak at home in all competitions this season, next face their former manager Unai Emery’s Villarreal side who beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate to reach the semis.
“They were better today by every measure,” Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky told reporters.
“They scored with their chances and we lacked better movement to be more successful in the attack.”
Manchester United also reached the Europa League semifinals after Edinson Cavani’s early strike and a Jesus Vallejo own goal secured a 2-0 home win over Granada and completed a 40 aggregate rout of the Spanish side.
United will face AS Roma for a place in the May 26 final in Gdansk after the Italian side ground out a 3-2 aggregate win over Ajax Amsterdam with a 1-1 home draw in the second leg of their quarter-final.
Cavani netted his 50th goal in European competition with a clinical sixth-minute finish as United made a bright start, volleying past goalkeeper Rui Silva after
Paul Pogba flicked a header into the Uruguayan’s stride. Bruno Fernandes said he was confident United, beaten by eventual winners Sevilla in last season’s semifinals, could overcome Roma.
“Every team will give you problems,” the Portugal midfielder told BT Sport.
“They have a good organisation defensively, they can create problems offensively. Some of their players have played in England. We know what we have to do. If we do the right things, we will have our chances to win the game.”