UEFA Europa League
Result: Vorskla 0-3 Arsenal
Date: 29 November 2018
Venue: NSK Olimpijs'kyj
Arsenal secured top spot in Group E after a 3-0 victory over Vorskla Poltava in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening.
The English side only needed a win to clinch the group, with entry to the knockout stages already confirmed.
With as many as 10 changes with one eye on Sunday's North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, the odds were still stacked in their favour.
After a promising start, the home side soon lost its strength on the game with the Gunners rising up to stamp their claim.
That said, Vorskla provided the first shot on goal when Petr Cech needed to make two saves to stop Volodymyr Chesnakov from getting on the act from outside the box.
A tight give and go involving Aaron Ramsey ended in a square pass falling kindly to Emile Smith Rowe, who obliged with a delicate lob into an empty net after 11 minutes.
A way back for Vorskla appeared daunting despite movements off the ball. Arsenal moved up one more gear when Ramsey converted from the penalty after he was brought from a corner kick.
Vorskla made the first change when Brazilian international Nicolas Careca came in an offensive alteration in the 34th minute.
The young guns of Arsenal weren't letting off just yet as Joe Willock opened up on the left and dummied one defender to place the ball into the bottom corner with a low curler.
In the second half, the visitors continued piling on the pressure and Eddie Nketiah was the latest threatening to score but was denied.
Even after the first half battering, the Gunners made their first change when Zack Medley came on for Rob Holding on 58 minutes.
The Ukrainians came close to getting on the score-sheet with Ihor Perduta at the end of a fast pace counterattack but Cech quickly smothered the danger.
Smith Rowe threatened for his brace and after getting space outside the box saw his effort dabble clear.
The youngsters were turning it on in the cold weather conditions, as Nketiah twisted around the defence to force Bohdan Shust to save for a corner.
Intricate interplay by Nketiah and Medley brought the former one on one with Shust, but the veteran was quick off his line to abort the danger as the encounter ended 3-0.
Unai Emery's men have sewn up top spot in Group E with one more match to play.
Other results: AC Milan 5-2 Dudelange Zurich 1-2 AEK Larna Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Ludogorets Salzburg 1-0 RB Leipzig Rosenborg 0-1 Celtic Zenit 1-0 Kobenhaven Bordeaux 2-0 Slavia Praha Anderlecht 0-0 Spartak Trnava Fenerbahce 0-0 Dinamo Zagreb Qarabag 1-6 Sporting Real Betis 1-0 Olympiakos Krasnodar 2-1 Akhisarspor BATE Borisov 2-0 Vidi
