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As it happenedended

FK Qarabag vs Arsenal - Europa League as it happened: Gunners young stars shine in 3-0 win

Look back on the live coverage of Qarabag vs Arsenal

Harry Latham-Coyle
Thursday 04 October 2018 18:18 BST
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Arsenal train ahead of Europa League tie against Qarabag

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Arsenal eased to Europa League victory against Qarabag on Thursday night - but they were far from their best in Baku.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos opened the scoring early on before the visitors had to withstand plenty of pressure until Emile Smith Rowe's first senior goal and a first for club for Matteo Guendouzi secured a 3-0 win which flattered Unai Emery's side.

The Arsenal head coach opted to bring the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka on a near 5,000-mile round-trip despite a tricky visit to Fulham early on Sunday - but they were named on a strong bench at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

When is it?

Qarabag vs Arsenal is one of the early matches on Thursday 4 October.

When does it start?

Kick-off in Azerbaijan is at 17:55 BST.

Where can I watch it?

BT Sport will be showing live coverage on BT Sport 2 and online on the BT Sport app for customers.

Odds

Arsenal to win: 2/5

Qarabag to win: 8/1

Draw: 7/2

14 minutes

Maksim Medvedev gets forward on the right but the Qarabag captain's cross is wayward.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:11

15 minutes

More good stuff from Qarabag.

Ansi Agoli cuts back to Abdullah Zoubir but the French winger rather blindly turns the ball across and it is comfortably cleared by the Arsenal defence.

They are 1-0 behind, but Qarabag have been the better team.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:13

17 minutes

Nearly 2-0!

Emile Smith Rowe has a golden opportunity sliding in at the far post. He sparks the move, cutting inside, feeding Alex Iwobi who in turn finds the onrushing Sead Kolasinac. The Bosnian squares and Smith Rowe bursts into the box, but he can't generate the necessary power to divert the ball goalwards. Into the side netting. 

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:15

19 minutes

Arsenal have regained their composure to some extent and are stroking the ball around the pitch with more verve. Both wing-back are playing high-up the pitch, with Sead Kolasinac particularly advanced.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:16

20 minutes

The visitors earn another corner. Mohamed Elneny will take after a false-start on an attempted short corner.

Danny Welbeck wins it in the air and could do better. He creates a little separation from his marker but his downward header bounces wide. 

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:18

22 minutes

Good covering from Nacho Monreal there. Innocent Emeghara had dropped deep and Qarabag tried to use the resulting space to get a player in behind but Monreal is alive to the threat and cuts it out.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:19

24 minutes

Alert from Bernd Leno (who has had little to do so far), reacting to rush out and gather a through ball with Emeghara lurking.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:21

25 minutes

Alex Iwobi has looked bright, and he wins another Arsenal corner.

Short to Kolasinac, chipped back to Elneny down the line...

A tame cross-come-shot that merely ruffles the side netting. Goal-kick.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:22

26 minutes

Fancy footwork from a couple of the Qarabag midfielders gets the crowd on their feet, but Arsenal are snuffing out the danger quickly thus far.

Hold on...

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:23

27 minutes

That's their first real effort, and it is a smart save from Bernd Leno.

Mair Madatov twists and turns in the box, striking left-footed low to Leno's left from about eight yards out. The German keeper sprawls and gets a solid hand behind it, regathering before any follow-up can be made.

Harry Latham-Coyle4 October 2018 18:25

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