UEFA Europa League
Result: Arsenal 4-1 CSKA Moscow
Date: 05 April 2018
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Arsenal have one foot in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals after they thumped CSKA Moscow 4-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday.
The Gunners broke the deadlock as early as the ninth minute as Hector Bellerin drilled a cross into the box where Aaron Ramsey was on hand to smash past Roman Akinfeev.
The hosts' joy was short-lived as CSKA restored parity in the 15th minute thanks to an impressive free-kick from Aleksandr Golovin that left Petr Cech no chance.
In the 23rd minute, Arsenal were afforded an opportunity to take the lead when they awarded a penalty after Mesut Ozil was brought down. Alexandre Lacazette stepped up and converted the spot-kick.
Five minutes later, the Gunners extended their lead as Ozil turned provider to play in Ramsey, who managed to lob the ball over Akinfeev for his brace.
It was 4-1 with 10 minutes left in the first stanza as Lacazette completed his brace with a low strike into the bottom corner.
Arsenal continued to dominate in the second half and they nearly netted a fifth in the 56th minute but Henrikh Mkhitaryan was denied by the hands of Akinfeev.
That proved to be Mkhitaryan's last bit of action as he was replaced by Nigeria international Alexi Iwobi on 62 minutes.
Ramsey went close to completing his hat-trick in the 77 minute but the Welshman's effort crashed against the crossbar with Akinfeev well beaten.
Nevertheless, 4-1 was how the encounter ended as the Gunners take a comfortable lead to Russia next week.
