Valencia 2-4 Arsenal (Agg: 3-7): Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hits hat-trick as Arsenal stroll to Europa League finalAubameyang (3) and Lacazette send Arsenal to Baku final on May 27
By Gerard Brand
Last Updated: 09/05/19 10:12pm
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a superb hat-trick to send Arsenal through to the Europa League final after a clinical 4-2 win at Valencia (7-3 on aggregate).
Valencia halved the two-goal deficit from the first leg through Kevin Gameiro's close-range finish (11), but Aubameyang gave Arsenal further control in the tie with a fine half-volley shortly after (17).
Alexandre Lacazette then put the Gunners ahead on the night with a finish into the corner from 15 yards (50), meaning Valencia needed four, and they got one through Gameiro's bundled finish (58).
But Arsenal regained their advantage through Aubameyang's near-post finish (69), and the Gabon striker got his hat-trick and 29th of the campaign with a thumping effort from an acute angle (89).
Arsenal will face Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt in the final in Baku on May 29, with both sides currently playing extra-time at Stamford Bridge.
Valencia raced out of the blocks and were ahead early on through Gameiro, who tapped home at the far post into an empty net from Rodrigo Moreno's low, deflected cross from the left after a devastating counter attack.
It should have been two as Rodrigo's shot hit his own man Gameiro from close range, before Rodrigo volleyed inches wide from 25 yards with a sublime effort, and Valencia were made to pay moments later during a rare Arsenal attack.
Former Gunners defender Gabriel's poor header allowed Lacazette to nod down for Aubameyang, and the Gabon striker's fine half volley from 18 yards found the bottom right corner past Neto.
Arsenal began to settle more and could have killed the tie off before the break as Aubameyang turned provider for Lacazette, but the Frenchman's first-time shot from 20 yards brushed the outside of Neto's left-hand post as he stood rooted.
The tie looked done and dusted as Lacazette put Arsenal ahead with a low finish into the bottom right corner from inside the box after Lucas Torreira's square ball, but Gameiro pulled one back from close range with a messy goal from Rodrigo's cross-shot.
Aubameyang then showed his superior quality again, however, turning up at the near post to get ahead of his marker and touch home Ainsley Maitland-Niles' fine cross from the right.
And with seconds remaining, Aubameyang got his hat-trick on the night and fourth against Valencia in the tie, powering into the roof of the net from the tightest of angles after Henrikh Mkhitaryan's cute ball.
When is the Europa League final?
The Europa League final, the 10th in its current format and 48th overall of Europe's second-tier competition, will take place on May 29, 2019.
https://www.skysports.com/football/valencia-vs-arsenal/report/406477
