Result: Dundalk 2-4 Arsenal
Date: 10 December 2020
Venue: Aviva Stadium
Arsenal ended their UEFA Europa League group stage campaign with a perfect record after defeating Dundalk 4-2 on Thursday evening.
The Gunners made three changes from the side that thrashed Rapid Vienna, with Joe Willock, Calum Chambers and Emile Smith Rowe coming into the line-up.
Eddie Nketiah gave the visitors a perfect start with the opener in the 12th minute with a lovely strike over the onrushing shot-stopper Gary Rogers.
Mohamed Elneny doubled the lead for Arsenal in the 18th minute with a sensational strike from outside the box that sailed into the top corner.
Jordan Flores pulled a goal back for Dundalk four minutes later with a stunning shot from the right side of the box into the far post after exchanging passes with Michael Duffy.
Cedric Soares came very close to restoring a two-goal cushion for the English side ten minutes before the break after unleashing a shot across goal towards the far bottom corner but Rogers tipped his effort just wide.
However, despite a slow start in the second stanza, Willock eventually gave Arsenal a 3-1 lead in the 67th minute with a smashing low strike after he was teed up by second-half substitute Folarin Balogun inside the box.
Mikel Arteta's charges were holding Dundalk in their own half as Balogun bagged the fourth goal in the last ten minutes with a side-footed finish into the bottom corner after a brilliant through ball by Nicolas Pepe.
Sean Hoare pulled a second goal back for the hosts in the last five minutes with a glancing header at the near post after good free-kick by Flores.
Chambers looked to have found the back of the net for Arsenal in stoppage time after finishing off a glancing header but the goal was disallowed for offside as the visitors clinched a 4-2 win that sees them enter the last 32 with a perfect record.
