Tag: Olympiacos

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a number of clear-cut chances as the Gunners made heavy weather of progressing to the Europa League quarter-finals against 10-man Olympiacos.

Holding a 3-1 victory from the first leg in Greece, a poor display saw Mikel Arteta’s side lose 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium but advance on aggregate.

Arteta opted to recall Aubameyang after axing his captain for the north London derby win over Tottenham four days earlier following a breach in pre-match protocol.

But the skipper would pass up a number of opportunities to kill off the tie, with Youssef El-Arabi scoring in a third successive game against Arsenal to earn the Greek champions victory on the night despite the dismissal of Ousseynou Ba.

It had been a similar story in the round of 32 meeting between the sides last year, El-Arabi scoring the last-minute goal to send Olympiacos through as Aubameyang missed a sitter with virtually the last kick of the game.

Thankfully for Arsenal, the work had been done a week earlier in Athens this time around but Arteta will know they need to be much better in the next round if they are to keep alive their hopes of lifting the Europa League.

Arsenal created the better chances of a dull first half, Nicolas Pepe bursting through on goal and taking the ball around Jose Sa – but his effort was just about cleared behind for a corner by former Arsenal defender Sokartis Papastathopoulos.

At the other end, Bernd Leno was called into action for the first time as a long goal-kick completely wrong-footed the Arsenal defence with El-Arabi seeing his shot saved.

The hosts should have taken the lead at the midway point of the first-half, Aubameyang exchanging passes with Dani Ceballos before firing over.

Olympiacos would open the scoring after coming out for the second half on the attack.

El-Arabi would again be the man to get the goal as he converted past Leno with the aid of a deflection off Gabriel Magalhaes.

Arteta reacted by replacing Mohamed Elneny and Ceballos with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard.

But the first hour of the game was summed up when Kieran Tierney’s low cross was hammered goalwards by Pepe – only for it to cannon up and over off the head of Emile Smith Rowe.

Arsenal were suddenly all at sea, giving away possession in their own half, unable to make forward passes in more dangerous positions and struggling to go toe to toe with a side they comfortably beat last week.

When they did break through on goal, they were wasteful – Odegaard ballooning over a good opportunity to level on the night.

Not for the first time, Aubameyang then missed a glorious chance, bursting free from the half-way line but poking a chipped effort well wide of the target.

The Olympiacos bench had been noisy all evening but was apoplectic when referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande sent off Ba with a little under 10 minutes to go.

The defender caught Arsenal substitute Gabriel Martinelli with a stray arm to earn a caution – with the second yellow following straight after as he protested against the initial decision.

Ba watched on from the tunnel, visibly upset and being consoled by backroom staff.

Aubameyang meanwhile, continued to miss good chances, seeing a flick from six yards saved before acrobatically volleying the rebound over the top.

Arsenal saw out the remainder of the game to advance, but it was not the sort of performance to appease Arteta.

Arsenal struck two late goals to beat Olympiacos and take control of their Europa League round of 16 clash – having almost proved architects of their own downfall once again.

The Gunners will defend a 3-1 lead at the Emirates Stadium next week and were good value for their win in Greece.

Martin Odegaard’s first Arsenal goal had them ahead only for another defensive calamity to gift Youssef El-Arabi the equaliser just before the hour.

Arsenal were rocked but recovered well and would hit two goals in six minutes as a Gabriel Magalhaes header and a fine strike from substitute Mohamed Elneny earned a good victory.

Mikel Arteta saw his side dumped out by Olympiacos at the round of 32 stage last season despite winning the opening leg in Greece but will be hoping lightning does not strike twice.

Arsenal were back at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium for the second time in a fortnight, having hosted the ‘home’ leg of their tie against Benfica on the outskirts of Athens due to current coronavirus travel restrictions.

The Premier League side have now won more Europa League knockout stages at the home of Olympiacos than the reigning Greek champions themselves – but they made it harder for themselves than was necessary

Odegaard was again deployed as Arteta’s number 10 but he missed a fine early chance to put the visitors ahead, scuffing a shot wide after being picked out by Kieran Tierney.

If the Norway international was guilty of a poor miss, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was denied soon after by a fine Jose Sa save as the Olympiacos goalkeeper tipped his header onto the crossbar.

The hosts had started slowly but were beginning to edge into the contest and Bruma should have done better when gifted possession by Odegaard, the winger only able to shoot straight at Bernd Leno.

It was a number of sloppy moments for the Real Madrid loanee but he would make amends by thrashing Arsenal in front.

Thomas Partey played the ball into Odegaard in a central position and his arrowed shot flew in off the wrist of Sa – who would have been disappointed not to keep out the strike.

Olympiacos were almost level as Arsenal were again caught trying to play out from the back, David Luiz’s pass being closed down by Giorgos Masouras, who then shot wildly wide of goal.

That was just a hint of what was to come as Arteta’s men would all-but present Olympiacos with their equaliser.

Just like at Burnley on Sunday, Leno played the ball short and into the feet of Dani Ceballos – fresh off the bench.

He was closed down quickly, losing possession as El-Arabi levelled with a crisp finish past an out-of-position Leno.

El-Arabi’s last-gasp winner sent Arsenal out of the competition last season and he almost doubled up for the night, only to see a shot blocked behind when well placed.

Arsenal regathered their collective poise and again began to dominate proceedings as their former defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos – deemed not good enough to even be registered by the club before leaving for Greece in January – led the defensive drive for the home side.

But they could not hold on to take a draw to London next Thursday as Willian collected a short corner and crossed for Gabriel to send a looping header over Sa to re-establish the lead.

Elneny came off the bench after Gabriel’s effort and his first involvement was to curl home a low effort from outside the box and put his side firmly in the driving seat and send them into Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham with a win.