UEFA Europa League
Result: Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov (Arsenal won 3-1 on agg.)
Date: 21 February 2019
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Arsenal cruised into the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a 3-0 victory over BATE Borisov in their last 32 second-leg clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Looking to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat, the hosts had their noses in front inside four minutes when Zakhar Volkov sent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's cross into his own net.
BATE almost found the equaliser moments later following a first-time volley from first-leg match winner Stanislaw Drahun, but Laurent Koscielny's goal-line clearance ensured otherwise.
Bate eventually succumbed to the Gunners' pressure, as Shkodran Mustafi sneaked ahead of his marker to head in the second on 38 minutes.
Aubameyang nearly made it three shortly before the break after getting around the defence to finish into an empty net, but Denis Scherbitski ward off the danger.
Five minutes into the second half, Arsenal nearly handed the visitors an away goal when poor defending allowed Drahun a shot, but Petr Cech saved the day.
Arsenal made the game's first change as Laurent Koscielny made way for Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who would prove crucial in the ending the contest. The Greek international managed to get on the end of a corner to put the home side in complete ascendancy on 60 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Aubameyang's search for a goal continued in frustration as his dink inside the six-yard area, crept narrowly wide.
The Londoners set on increasing their advantage on the scoreboard, but settled for the 3-0 win in the end.
Other results:
Napoli 2-0 Zurich (Napoli won 5-1 on agg.) Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 Viktoria Plzen (Zagreb won 4-2 on agg.) Salzburg 4-0 Club Brugge (Salzburg won 5-2 on agg.) Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (Frankfurt win on 6-3 agg.) Valencia 1-0 Celtic (Valencia won 3-0 on agg.) Zenit 3-1 Fernerbahce (Zenit won 3-2 on agg.) Villarreal 1-1 Sporting Lisbon (Villarreal won 2-1 on agg.)
