Arsenal progresses after cruising in Kiev
Arsenal will go into the UEFA Europa League knockout phase as Group E winner thanks to a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Vorskla with a much-changed team in Kiev on Friday (AEDT).
The switching of the fixture from Poltava due to security concerns made it a logistical nightmare, but Arsenal produced a professional display, its makeshift starting XI of youngsters and fringe players cruising to victory in sub-zero temperatures.
Arsenal was 3-0 up by half-time, with 18-year-old Emile Smith Rowe getting his third of the season, before Aaron Ramsey added a penalty and Joe Willock got off the mark for the club.
Unai Emery's men were less incisive after the interval and were unfortunate to have a second Smith Rowe goal chalked off, but the result never looked in doubt and they ease into the next round as group winners, ahead of Sporting CP, with a game to spare.
Although Vorskla threatened a couple of times early on, Arsenal quickly established some control in the middle and got the opener in 10th minute – Smith Rowe left with an easy finish after the ball broke kindly for him in the box.
The visitor doubled its advantage just before the half-hour mark, as Ramsey tucked home a penalty having been clumsily tripped by Igor Perduta.
And it was three to the good by half-time – Willock nonchalantly finding the bottom-right corner from 20 yards at the end of a rapid breakaway.
Arsenal thought it had made it 4-0 just after the hour, but Smith Rowe's close-range tap-in from a Stephan Lichtsteiner cross was disallowed for offside.
Willock was denied a second of the day late on when released into the box by Bukayo Saka, with Bogdan Shust rushing out to make a good save, though it mattered little in the end.