Match Report: VCF bow out of the UEL (2-4)

Valencia CF welcomed Arsenal FC on Thursday night looking to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the Emirates. Valencia CF had a good start to the game in possession and trying to break at every opportunity in the first minutes of the match.

 Gonçalo Guedes had the first chance for Valencia CF in the 7th minute after great work down the left but the Portuguese blazed his shot over the bar. Minutes later, birthday boy Kevin Gameiro gave Valencia CF the lead after a lightning counter-attack which was poked home by the Frenchman on the slide after a deflected Rodrigo Moreno cross off Koscielny.

Rodrigo Moreno came close to making 2-0 with a powerful strike on the volley flew over the bar. Arsenal made it 1-1 through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Valencia CF failed to clear their lines.

Daniel Wass had a half volley halfway through the first half as Arsenal FC grew into the game.  Alexandre Lacazette hit the outside of the post from outside the area in the closing minutes. The first half finished 1-1 with all to play for in the second half.  

The second half started in the worst possible way as five minutes inside the second half Arsenal FC pounced on a defensive mistake through Alexandre Lacazette who curled it beyond Neto Murara from inside the box.

Kevin Gameiro grabbed his second of the night after a return ball from Daniel Wass was bundled home by the Frenchman from point-blank range eight minutes later to make it 2-2 to VCF.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang picked up his second firing it home at the near post after a ball out wide into Ainsley Maitland- Niles who rolled it into Aubameyang to make it 2-3 to Arsenal FC 3-6 on aggregate.  

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed a hat-trick deep into stoppage time at the near post to complete the scoring to Arsenal FC.   

The game finished 2-4 to Arsenal with a battling Valencia CF side who bowed out of the UEFA Europa League. Marcelino’s side switch their attention to their vital final home game on Sunday the 12th of May against CD Alavés at 6.30 pm on matchday 37 of LaLiga.

Match details:

2. Valencia CF: Neto, Piccini (Carlos Soler, 56), Garay, G. Paulista, Gayà, Parejo, Coquelin, Wass, Guedes (Ferran, m.71), Rodrigo M. (Santi Mina, m.71) ) and Gameiro.

4. Arsenal FC: Cech, Kolasinac (Mustafi, m.70), Monreal, Koscielny, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Torreira (Guendouzi, m.79), Xhaka, Özil (Mkhitaryan, m.62), Lacazette and Aubameyang.

Goals: 1-0. M. 11: Gameiro. 1-1. M. 17: Aubameyang. 1-2. M. 50: Lacazette. 2-2. M. 58: Gameiro. 2-3. M. 69: Aubameyang. 2-4. M. 88: Aubameyang.

Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands). He booked Garay, Gayà and G. Paulista for Valencia CF, and Maitland-Niles for Arsenal FC.

Observations: Return leg of the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, played on Thursday at 9 pm before 44,481 spectators. A spectacular atmosphere in the stands, with the presence of nearly 3,000 AFC fans.