Arsenal came back from two-goals down to draw 2-2 at Standard Liege in Group F and qualify to the last 32 of the Europa League as group winners on Thursday, Completesports.com reports.
The hero for Arsenal was 18-year-old Bukayo Saka who bagged an assist and got the equaliser for his side.
Arsenal were all but through before kick-off, with Standard Liege needing to win 5-0 to prevent the visitors from going through to the knockout rounds.
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However, Samuel Bastien Standard Liege ahead on 47 minutes when his shot deflected off Sokratis and beyond the wrong-footed Emiliano Martinez.
Standard Liege doubled their lead on 69 minutes as Selim Amallah’s strike from inside the area flew into the far corner via a slight deflection off Konstantinos Mavropanos.
As Standard Liege went in search of more goals, Arsenal pulled a goal back on 79 minutes through Alexandre Lacazette who headed in Saka’s cross.
And just two minutes after Lacazette’s goal, Saka completed the comeback, curling a neat finish into the corner to secure the draw for Arsenal.
In the group’s other game, Eintracht Frankfurt lost 3-2 at home to Vitoria de Guimaraes but still managed to qualify for the next round.
Arsenal finished top of the group on 11 points while second placed Frankfurt had nine points, just a point above Standard Liege.
Other English teams that will also be in action in the Europa on Tuesday are Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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In another Europa League game former champions Sevilla suffered their first defeat in the group stage following their 1-0 away loss to Apoel Nicosia.
Despite the defeat Sevilla topped the group on 15 points with Apoel second on 10 points.
And in some other results, former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi who just returned from a long injury layoff, featured in Trabzonspor’s away loss to Basel, Rennes beat visiting Lazio 2-0 and CFR Cluj beat Celtic 1-0.
By James Agberebi
3 Comments
BUKAYO SAKA……what a performance from the lad today! Playing from the left wing back position, he pretty much singlehandedly dragged Arsenal back from the brink of defeat. That cross that led to the Lacazette equalizer…..I keep imagining Osimhen on the end of it. That is the kind of cross strikers relish. A cross that’s begging you to attack it. How about his goal? A nice curled effort, with his RIGHT FOOT. Saka is predominantly left footed. So, to score a goal of that quality with his weaker foot shows what a player he is. I have admired this boy from a distance for a while now. Every time he plays, he gives me more reasons to like him. We need to get this boy before the English get their hands on him.
They already have their hands on him. It would be us trying get them off the grip of the English.
@Pompei. Very true Saka is a diamond. I can only imagine what he is gonna be like when he finally gets to proper maturity. But we have to be honest, only him can decide his international path. Because the English have already built a camp around him. We shouldn’t start a fight that will most likely not gonna come out way.