Arsenal seize control thanks to late flurry
MIKEL ARTETA’S claims that Arsenal have come a long way since last year are about to be tested. Just over 12 months ago they came to Olympiakos, claimed a first-leg 1-0 win but still threw their advantage away and crashed out of the Europa League on away goals at the last-32 stage. Last night in Athens, one round further on, they scored three away goals and returned to London with a two-goal lead. Surely they won’t make the same mistake again in next week’s second leg at the Emirates. Yet here was more evidence of their ability to shoot themselves in the foot despite a precious away victory. Having twice got away with overplaying at the back in the first half, they did it again to gift the Greeks an equaliser and hope. Arteta’s side should have had two early goals to show for their dominance. Just three minutes in, Kieran Tierney’s cutback was perfect for Martin Odegaard but he scuffed his effort wide. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then clipped Hector Bellerin’s cross goalwards but his attempt hit former Gunner Sokratis’s shoulder and was flipped on to the bar by keeper Jose Sa. Sa’s palms were stung again by free-kicks from David Luiz and Aubameyang. In the 34th minute, Olympiakos gave Odegaard too much time and he thumped home his first Gunners goal with a ferocious 25-yarder. Arsenal’s lead was deserved but their penchant for unnecessary risk never ceases to amaze. Luiz was dispossessed in his own box by Giorgos Masouras only for the midfielder blazed over. Just before the hour, they were punished. Keeper Bernd Leno dumped Dani Ceballos in trouble by playing him a pass he could have done without as Olympiacos bodies closed in on him. Youssef El-Arabi robbed him before curling the ball into the net. Gabriel’s towering header restored Arsenal’s lead before sub Mohamed Elneny made a sensational impact, firing home Arsenal’s third.
HARRY KANE, who else? As the gales whistled up and down the Tottenham High Road, Kane propelled Spurs towards the last eight of the Europa League. He scored a goal in each half against Dinamo Zagreb to provide Daniel Levy with a little extra cheer on his 20th anniversary as chairman and keep Jose Mourinho on course for more silverware. Trophies are the ‘salt and pepper’ of football, according to Mourinho, but Levy has won only one and Kane is still waiting for his first. Tottenham, however, will take a two-goal lead to the Croatian capital and have a foot in the quarter-finals. Tottenham went ahead midway through the first half. Kane started the move from deep inside his own half. A long pass, intended for Son Heung-min, was headed down and collected by Dele Alli before Ben Davies set Erik Lamela on a dribble towards goal. Lamela, so often influential on European nights, shimmied and jinked into the penalty area and beat goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, only to see his shot thump against the foot of a post and roll out across goal. Kane had made up the ground and, courtesy of his predatory instincts, barely had to break stride to sweep the rebound into the open net. The goal was his 25th for Spurs in all competitions this season, more than in either of the previous two seasons. Kane pounced on a failed clearance in the 70th minute for his second goal. Tanguy Ndombele sprayed a pass wide to Serge Aurier, who crossed on the volley. Former Cardiff defender Kevin Theophile-Catherine cut it out but dropped the ball at the feet of the England captain and he found the net.