Arsenal Loss To Olympiakos 1 Nil As They Advances 3-2 On Aggregate
Badmus Abdulsobur,Oyo
For the second time this week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s timing was a little off.
Aubameyang endured a miserable night in front of goal, missing several excellent chances to put the game to bed for his side and send them cruising into the Europa League quarter-finals.
Instead they had to endure another nervy evening against the Greek champions in north London as they edged through to the last eight 3-2 on aggregate, despite losing 1-0 on the night.
"I hope he doesn’t, we have moved on from that," Mikel Arteta said after the game, when asked whether he captain still gad thoughts in his head about what had gone on at the weekend.
"He started the game and we expect when he does play he performs at the level he can.”
It’s been just over a year since Olympiacos stunned Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and sent them crashing out of this competition at the first knockout stage.
Memories of that dramatic evening have been fresh in everyone’s mind since this season’s draw once again paired the two sides together, but Arsenal’s 3-1 win in Greece last week ensured they had far more of a buffer this time around.
And they did need it, with the visitors threatening a comeback when Youssef El-Arabi - scorer of the winning goal last season - gave Olympiacos a 1-0 lead early in the second half.
But that was as good as it got for the visitors, who never really looked like adding to their lead in the closing stages.
The Arsenal captain was back in the side against Olympiacos - after being dropped against Tottenham for turning up late - but the Gabon international looked like he was still way off the pace.Aubameyang endured a miserable night in front of goal, missing several excellent chances to put the game to bed for his side and send them cruising into the Europa League quarter-finals.
Instead they had to endure another nervy evening against the Greek champions in north London as they edged through to the last eight 3-2 on aggregate, despite losing 1-0 on the night.
"I hope he doesn’t, we have moved on from that," Mikel Arteta said after the game, when asked whether he captain still gad thoughts in his head about what had gone on at the weekend.
"He started the game and we expect when he does play he performs at the level he can.”
It’s been just over a year since Olympiacos stunned Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and sent them crashing out of this competition at the first knockout stage.
Memories of that dramatic evening have been fresh in everyone’s mind since this season’s draw once again paired the two sides together, but Arsenal’s 3-1 win in Greece last week ensured they had far more of a buffer this time around.
And they did need it, with the visitors threatening a comeback when Youssef El-Arabi - scorer of the winning goal last season - gave Olympiacos a 1-0 lead early in the second half.
But that was as good as it got for the visitors, who never really looked like adding to their lead in the closing stages.
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