Valencia 2-4 Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hits hat-trick
Arsenal reached the Europa League final with a win at Mestalla
Arsenal booked their place in the Europa League final with an emphatic 4-2 win over Valencia, to progress 7-3 on aggregate.
VAL
2 ________________ 4
ARS
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Valencia
Neto; Piccini (Carlos Soler, 56'), Garay, Paulista, Gayà; Wass, Parejo, Coquelin, Guedes (Ferran Torres, 70'); Gameiro, Rodrigo (Santi Mina, 70').
Arsenal
Cech; Maitland-Niles, Mustafi (Kolasinac, 70'), Sokratis, Monreal, Kolasinac; Torreira (Guendouzi, 78'), Xhaka; Özil (Mkhitaryan, 60'); Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Goles
1-0 M. 10 Gameiro. 1-1 M. 16 Aubameyang. 1-2 M. 49 Lacazette. 2-2 M. 58 Gameiro. 2-3 M. 68 Aubameyang. 2-4 M. 88 Aubameyang.
Árbitro
Danny Makkelie (Holanda). TA: Garay (37') y Gayà (42') / Özil (61').
Incidencias
Mestalla. 44.481 espectadores.
Kevin Gameiro broke the deadlock from close range to give Los Che hope of a comeback but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored a hat-trick in a sensational display, put the Gunners back on level terms with a rapacious finish.
Arsenal have never lost a European tie in which they won the first leg by two or more goals, and after Auba struck that never looked like changing here, killing the previously raucous Mestalla atmosphere.
Aubameyang’s partner in crime Alexandre Lacazette extended Arsenal’s lead with another fine finish, but Gameiro stabbed home to pull Valencia level.
Aubameyang added another after good work from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and then rifled home to complete his hat-trick and seal Arsenal’s trip to Baku.
"We have learned from last season and this year we didn't make the same mistakes. Now we are through to the final,” said Aubameyang.
"We (Laca and I) have talked a lot about our relationship and it is a pleasure to play with him, above all when you win games like this. It is a final so it doesn't matter which team we play, we have to give everything and win."
