Arsenal are firmly on the front foot in their Europa League last-32 tie with Ostersunds after running out comfortable 3-0 victors in the first leg at the Jamtkraft Arena on Thursday.Ostersunds 0 Arsenal 3Nacho breaks deadlock early onPapagiannopoulos OG makes it 2-0Ozil extends Gunners' lead in 2nd halfOspina saves Pettersson penalty
Match Summary
Arsene Wenger's side never looked in danger of slipping up in Sweden as Nacho Monreal put them ahead in the 13th minute, before an own-goal from Sotirios Papagiannopoulos doubled their lead 11 minutes later.
Mesut Ozil sealed the win early in the second half and David Ospina denied the hosts a late consolation goal when he saved Tom Pettersson's penalty.
Full Report
The Gunners quickly got into their stride and Danny Welbeck went close in the eight minute with a header at the back post that he steered just wide of goal, before Monreal broke the deadlock five minutes later.
After a last-ditch block from Papagiannopoulos had denied Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Iwobi got off a tame shot that was spilled by Aly Keita into the path of Monreal, who accepted the gift to score from close range.
Mkhitaryan was then thwarted by Keita in the 16th minute following good link-up play from Iwobi and Welbeck, but the Armenian did have a hand in the second goal as his cross was diverted past Keita by Papagiannopoulos on 24 minutes.
Ospina was called into action for the first time on 28 minutes when Alhaji Gero met Dennis Widgren's cross, but his weak header didn't trouble the Chilean, who needed to be at his best to tip Saman Ghoddos' dipping volley over the crossbar moments later.
Ghoddos threatened again on 33 minutes with a swerving effort from the edge of the area that produced a fine save out of Ospina, before the visitors went close at the other end soon afterwards as Welbeck blasted over from 18 yards out after a good passing move in the final third.
Graham Potter's men finished the half strongly as Ospina was required to keep out Curtis Edwards' deflected shot from 20 yards out in the 36th minute, before Ken Sema forced him into another superb save with a free-kick on 42 minutes, while Ghoddos drilled an effort inches past the post moments later.
But the final chance before the break fell to Mkhitaryan, who failed to hit the target from 18 yards out after Monreal's overlap created space for the midfielder to shoot.
Ozil killed off the game 13 minutes after the restart, although Keita should have done better in his attempt to keep the German out after he had swapped passes with Mkhitaryan.
The Premier League giants probed for more goals, with Mohamed Elneny trying his luck from 25 yards out in the 65th minute, but his effort flew just over the bar, while Welbeck was inches away from getting on the scoresheet in the 81st minute when he kept the ball in play on the touchline and cut inside before shooting wide of the far post.
The Allsvenskan outfit squandered a gilt-edged chance to reduce the deficit from the penalty spot in stoppage time. Tesfaldet Tekie latched onto Ghoddos' through-ball and was brought down by Hector Bellerin, but Pettersson's tame spot-kick was saved by Ospina.
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