Aubameyang charges forward down the right flank to win a corner off the legs of Gaya. The corner comes to nothing, but it keeps the Gunners up the field.
90' +2
Lacazette brings down Parejo on the charge and there is a little bit of afters between the two players. The referee has to bring the incident under control.
90'
P. Aubameyang has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by S. Kolašinac.
There will be four minutes of added time.
Kolasinac is alert to the loose ball and he supplies a dangerous cross to the back post that Aubameyang collects and scores.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! AUBAMEYANG SCORES A VITAL THIRD!!! 3-1 ARSENAL!!! The Gunners have a third goal this evening as Aubameyang rifles the ball home on the volley at the back post. Valencia fail to clear their lines after the save from Neto. Kolasinac whips the ball to the back post where the Gabonese is unmarked. Aubameyang connects well with his strike and it beats Neto for pace to find the back of the net.
88'
Santi Mina enters the game and replaces Rodrigo.
Rodrigo makes way for the visitors to be replaced by Santi Mina for the dying stages.
87'
Xhaka lines up an attempt at goal from distance, but he sends his effort well wide of the target.
86'
Lacazette provides pressure on Neto and forces the mistake, which wins a throw-in for the home side deep in Valencia territory.
84'
Mkhitaryan breaks down the right flank and he fires a low ball into the middle, although it manages to evade both Aubameyang and Lacazette before the visitors clear the danger.
82'
Nacho Monreal enters the game and replaces L. Koscielny.
Koscielny was struggling to move over the last 10 minutes and he makes way for the closing stages for Monreal.
80'
Kolasinac blocks off the run of Piccini down the right flank and hands a free-kick to the visitors.
78'
Mkhitaryan collides with Gabriel in the final third and it results in the Valencia defender requiring treatment on the pitch, although he appears to be okay to continue.
Minute
Description
77'
Arsenal break down the left through Kolasinac, who sees his low cross cleared away from danger. Xhaka keeps the pressure on with a throughball aiming for Aubameyang, but Gabriel makes a vital interception to steer the ball behind for a corner.
75'
H. Mkhitaryan enters the game and replaces M. Özil.
Wass lifts a free-kick into the box from the right flank and Diakhaby rises to meet the ball and heads over the bar, although the midfielder was offside anyway.
Mkhitaryan replaces Ozil for the home side. The German had been quiet in the second half.
71'
D. Wass enters the game and replaces Carlos Soler.
K. Gameiro enters the game and replaces Gonçalo Guedes.
Guedes is withdrawn for Gameiro for the visitors.
Wass comes on to the pitch to replace Soler in the Valencia midfield.
70'
Dani Parejo gets yellow.
Parejo pulls back Lacazette on the charge and goes into the book.
69'
Cech comes for Parejo's corner from the left flank and drops the ball in the six-yard box. However, Mustafi is in the right place for the Gunners to boot the ball to safety.
67'
CHANCE! LACAZETTE HAS TO SCORE! Xhaka lines up a strike from the edge of the box that is deflected into the path of the forward in the left inside channel. He takes a touch before firing towards the near post with his strike, but Neto makes the save with his feet. Lacazette goes for the rebound, only to see his second attempt repelled by Gabriel.
65'
The visitors are sitting back and inviting the pressure from the Gunners. There's an opportunity here for Emery's men.
62'
Xhaka attempts to curl a pass towards Aubameyang in the middle, but Gabriel does just enough to put the forward off his strike to see the ball out for a goal-kick.
60'
It has been a tepid start to the second half from both teams. The Gunners are yet to click into gear, while the visitors seem content to play on the counter.
58'
L. Torreira enters the game and replaces M. Guendouzi.
Torreira replaces Guendouzi in the Arsenal midfield.
56'
Lacazette cuts the ball back to Guendouzi on the edge of the box, who pulls the trigger on his strike, but Gabriel gets out to make the block.
55'
Rodrigo bursts into space down the left flank and he is afforded space and time to send a cross into the box. Guedes tries to connect with a diving header, but Koscielny does brilliantly to get there ahead of him to nod the ball clear.
54'
A poor ball towards Koscielny from Kolasinac leaves Arsenal exposed at the back. Piccini floats a pass over the top of Sokratis for the run of Guedes, but the Greek does enough to edge out the Valencia forward.
52'
The Gunners probe on the edge of the box, but the visitors hold firm as Ozil and Xhaka attempt to unlock the defence.
50'
WIDE! Arsenal clear their lines from a corner into the box. However, Soler goes for the strike from distance. His effort appears to be heading towards the target before it strikes off Diakhaby and goes out for a goal-kick.
49'
Guedes releases Rodrigo down the right flank and he skips past the challenge of Sokratis. The forward tries to pick out Guedes at the back post, but Mustafi is on hand to make the clearance.
46'
We're back underway at the Emirates Stadium.
45' +1
HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 2-1 VALENCIA
45'
There will be one minute of added time.
44'
Kolasinac makes a probing run down the left flank and he cuts the ball back towards penalty spot. Unfortunately for the Gunners, every attacker had made a run towards the goalline, which allows Diakhaby to clear the danger.
43'
Maitland-Niles wins another corner for the hosts, although he then gives away a foul from the set-piece for jumping into Soler.
42'
Aubameyang and Kolasinac combine down the left flank, but the final ball from the latter is poor, blasting his attempt away from his team-mates in the box.
39'
Arsenal have taken command of the game in terms of possession, although there's still a nervousness about their play in the defensive third.
37'
Maitland-Niles drives forward down the right flank and wins his team a corner. From the resulting set-piece, the visitors clear the danger as far as Sokratis, who attempts an overhead kick. He connects with his effort, although Neto is able to make comfortable stop.
36'
OVER! Parejo goes for goal from distance, only to blast his attempt well over the bar. Not the best effort from the Valencia skipper.
35'
Mustafi brings down Soler on the run forward 30 yards from goal, handing Valencia a free-kick in a decent position.
31'
M. Diakhaby gets yellow.
Diakhaby catches Lacazette with a high boot to the chest and he goes into the book.
28'
Xhaka lifts another cross into the box from a corner on the right flank, although on this occasion Lacazette heads his effort over the bar.
25'
A. Lacazette has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by G. Xhaka.
Xhaka picks out Lacazette with a fine cross into the box, allowing the Frenchman to head home.
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!! LACAZETTE PUTS ARSENAL AHEAD!!! 2-1!!! The Gunners complete their comeback to take the lead through the Frenchman. Xhaka lifts a dangerous cross into the box from the left flank. Lacazette gets the better of his man in the middle and he heads the ball down towards the bottom corner. Neto pushes the ball against the post, but it strikes the inside of the woodwork and travels backwards over the line. The referee awards the goal using the technology on his wrist.
24'
Rodrigo is allowed space and time to line up a strike on the edge of the box, but Mustafi throws himself in the way of the ball to make the block.
22'
Aubameyang wins the ball on the left flank and he drives his team forward. The forward breaks into the box before taking on a right-footed strike that he blazes well over the bar.
20'
Arsenal were in need of a response after their underwhelming start to the contest. Their two key men came to the fore, but there's still work to be done by the home side.
18'
A. Lacazette has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by P. Aubameyang.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! LACAZETTE LEVELS THE SCORES!! 1-1!! Arsenal are back in the game out of nowhere. Lacazette releases Aubameyang through the middle and the striker surges into the box. The Gabonese cuts back before offloading towards Lacazette on the charge, who has an open goal to slide his left-footed strike into the back of the net. A clinical counter from the Gunners.
Aubameyang makes a run between the two Valencia centre-backs. He latches on to Lacazette's pass before returning the favour to the Frenchman to score.
13'
Rodrigo runs at the Arsenal defence down the right flank before cutting in to shoot on his left foot. Koscielny has to make a vital block to take the pace off the ball before it rolls towards Leno to gather.
11'
M. Diakhaby has scored a goal for Valencia! Assist by Rodrigo.
Rodrigo latches onto Parejo's corner at the back post and nods the ball cleverly across the face of goal for Diakhaby to convert.
GOALLLLLLLLL!!!! DIAKHABY PUTS VALENCIA AHEAD!!! 1-0!!! The visitors take a deserved lead as Diakhaby heads home from close range. Parejo delivers a corner deep to the back post. Rodrigo is there to head the ball back across the face of goal where Diakhaby rises highest to nod the ball into the net from six yards.
10'
Valencia put the pressure on down the left flank and Gaya fires a low ball towards the near post. Mustafi has to slide to clear the ball behind.
4'
Guendouzi looks for the run of Lacazette down the left inside channel, but the ball runs out for a goal-kick.
3'
Maitland-Niles takes a risk at the back with a turn under pressure, but he beats Rodrigo and Guedes applying the pressure for the vistiors.
2'
Roncaglia eases Lacazette off the ball on the byline, but the referee points for a goal-kick to the visitors rather than a penalty that the Arsenal fans were hoping for.
1'
We're underway at the Emirates Stadium.
Since securing their place in the last four of the Europa League with a 1-0 win over Napoli in the second leg of their quarter-final clash, Arsenal have suffered a decline in form. The Gunners have lost their last three matches on the bounce to dent their hopes of finishing in the top four of the Premier League, including their 3-0 defeat to Leicester City last time out. It has put more pressure on Unai Emery's men to win the Europa League, making a victory tonight imperative to end their slump.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Europa League first leg semi-final clash between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates Stadium.
Valencia have also struggled since earning their spot in the last four. After overcoming Villarreal in the last round, Marcelino's side beat Real Betis before suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Atletico Madrid and Eibar last time out. Los Ches have been impressive in the competition this term, but will have to raise the standard of their performance this evening.
ARSENAL SUBS: Mohamed Elneny, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Lucas Torreira, Alex Iwobi, Nacho Monreal, Bernd Leno, Eddie Nketiah.
VALENCIA (5-4-1): Neto; Facundo Roncaglia, Mouctar Diakhaby, Ezequiel Garay, Gabriel Paulista, Jose Gaya; Cristiano Piccini, Carlos Soler, Daniel Parejo, Goncalo Guedes; Rodrigo Moreno.
VALENCIA SUBS: Jaume Domenech, Kevin Gameiro, Toni Lato, Daniel Wass, Ferran Torres, Santi Mina, Ruben Sobrino.
Valencia were on top in the early stages of the game and should have been further ahead. The fact that they are behind at the break will annoy Marcelino. They were cut open too easily by the Gunners for the two goals, and he will be demanding an improvement from his defenders in the second half. A 2-1 result would not be a bad one for the Spanish outfit, which will give them pause for thought before committing men forward in the second period.
Arsenal will take a two-goal advantage into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final clash against Valencia next week. Unai Emery's men were 3-1 winners this evening after coming from behind to defeat the Spanish outfit. Valencia took the lead in the 11th minute through Mouctar Diakhaby when he headed home from close range. However, Alexandre Lacazette led the response from the home side, slotting home an equaliser after combining with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Frenchman then put Arsenal ahead with a fine header from Granit Xhaka's cross. Lacazette had two good opportunities in the second half to notch his hat-trick, but he failed to connect with a close-range header, while he missed another good opportunity from six yards as Neto made a good stop. Aubameyang ensured that the Gunners would travel to the Mestalla with a cushion of note, volleying home Sead Kolasinac's cross at the back post in the 90th minute. It's all still to play for in the second leg for the chance to play in the Europa League final.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Arsenal are next in action against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday at home. Valencia play Huesca on the road also on the same day in LaLiga.
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