Arsenal in commanding position after first leg with Olympiakos

Arsenal look good to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League after a well deserved victory in Athens. Martin Odegaard beat keeper Jose Sa with a long range effort in the first half and even though a defensive error meant El-Arabi levelled for Olympiakos just before the hour mark, the Gunners struck twice late on to force Olympiakos to score three times in the return leg at the Emirates next Thursday. 

Gabriel headed home a corner with 11 minutes left despite Olympiakos' protests for a foul and then Elneny's superb long range strike in the 85th minute completed the scoring. The home side had a good spell after scoring, but otherwise, they were always second best. Few can argue that Mikel Arteta's men did not deserve the victory. 

Arsenal had the first clear chance of the game with six minutes on the clock when Hector Bellerin picked out Aubameyang, but the Gabonese's deflected effort was tremendously tipped onto the crossbar by the Olympiakos keeper. However, Arsenal once again looked sloppy at the back and Odegaard lost the ball easily in the 21st minute, but Bruma's effort was straight at Leno. 

Odegaard made amends in the 34th minute when he put the Gunners ahead. Reabciuk lost the ball to Thomas and the former Atletico man passed to the Norwegian who beat Sa from 25 yards. The keeper only got a hand to it and should have kept it out, but it gave the Gunners a vital away goal. 

 

March 11, 2021

However, disaster nearly struck again in the 40th minute when Luiz was messing about in his own area and was dispossessed by Masouras, but the Olympiakos man snatched at the shot. Arsenal were let off the hook that time and went into half-time ahead. 

The Gunners looked comfortable at the start of the second period, but a third major defensive blunder was punished. Leno passed the ball to Ceballos just outside the area, the Spaniard was dispossessed by El-Arabi and he fired past an out of position Leno. It had been coming given what had happened in the first half and Arsenal were clearly shaken by that as that gave Olympiakos belief. 

Substitute Randjelovic found El-Arabi and he was about to score, but Hector Bellerin got a vital touch to the ball to send it for a corner. That seemed to wake the English side up and they hit the front in the 79th minute. A short corner was put into the box and Gabriel rose highest to head in. Olympiakos wanted a foul on M'vila, but the on-field call of goal stood. 

To make things worse for Olympiakos, Elneny ran down the middle and beat Jose Sa with a beautiful curling strike from 25 yards five minutes from time to make it 1-3. That goal means Arsenal have one foot in the quarter-finals and a repeat of what happened 12 months ago at the Emirates looks very unlikely. It also keeps Arsenal's hopes of playing in the Champions League next season very much alive.