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Publish Date: Thursday, May 2nd, 2019 9:42 am
Arsenal boss Unai Emery believes his team's semi-final match with Valencia is still 50-50 despite the 3-1 first-leg victory.
Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored goals as Arsenal returned from behind to beat Valencia in the first leg of the Europa League semifinal at Emirates Stadium.
Unai Emery's team will travel to Mestalla next week to defend a 3-1 lead after the French striker scored a brace in the first half, with his strike partner Aubameyang adding the luster to the last minute.
Mouctar Diakhaby had taken the lead in a deserved first match for Valencia, but the LaLiga side had everything to do in the second leg.
Lacazette scored the goal of Arsenal while he had crashed at this stage of the competition last season and also for Lyon in a semi-final defeat there are two years. He hopes his double will be enough to help the Gunners reach the final in Baku on May 29th.
After three consecutive defeats in the Premier League, winning the Europa League now seems to be the best chance for Arsenal to return to the Champions League for next season.
"In the first leg, we wanted to get a good result, knowing it would be difficult," Emery told BT Sport.
"After the first goal, our response was very good, with calm and pbadion. We took our moments and the goals of the first period gave us confidence.
"We wanted to win and not concede a second goal, but we also had to play. The third goal came in the end and for us it was important, but [the tie] continues to be 50-50.
"Valencia is a good team. They played with strong players in defense and in the middle of the field. They are strong in the set kicks, they scored and we had difficulties with the set pieces.
"We will continue to work on what we can improve, on what we can do better, but generally in the first leg, in the 90 minutes, we can be happy and proud of the players and supporters. prepare for the second leg because we know it will be very difficult. "
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