Arsenal take control of quarter-final with win over Napoli

Arsenal took control of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Napoli after winning 2-0 at home in the first leg.

Aaron Ramsey finished off a fine move to hand Arsenal the lead before Lucas Torreira’s effort took a huge deflection off Kalidou Koulibaly for their second.

The score somehow remained 2-0 with both sides spurning big opportunities; Ramsey guilty of a huge missed chance late on, but only after Piotr Zielinski failed to hand Napoli an all-important away goal.

The tie is far from settled going into next week’s return leg in Italy, where Arsenal will look to defend their two-goal advantage as they target a second-straight Europa League semi-final.

The ultimate first-leg performance… or lucky? Either way, Arsenal will not care. At times their football was scintillating, and the 2-0 scoreline reads as an ideal home result heading into next week’s return leg. However, the hosts did ride their luck at times, and will be delighted they were not punished for some lax defending. Napoli found plenty of joy attacking Nacho Monreal’s side – it will give them ideas for the second leg, but they will be gutted at not taking their chances tonight.

Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) – Started and finished Arsenal’s first goal, could have scored again after the break, and then really should have scored a second with 10 minutes to go. But still, the Welshman put in a terrific display which will leave Juventus – the club he will be joining this summer – rubbing their hands in glee. A goal against Italian opposition, just what the soon-to-be Italian champions want to see.

Arsenal XI: Cech 6, Maitland-Niles 8, Sokratis 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 5, Kolasinac 7, Torreira 7, Ramsey 8, Ozil 7, Lacazette 7, Aubameyang 7. Subs: Iwobi 6, Mkhitaryan 6.

Napoli XI: Meret 7, Rui 6, Maksimovic 6, Hysaj 6, Koulibaly 6, Allan 5, Callejon 6, Ruiz 5, Zielinski 5, Mertens 5, Insigne 5. Subs: Milik 6, Ounas N/A, Younes N/A.

15’ - GOAL! What a fine move from Arsenal. One-touch passing. From the halfway line to the Napoli area in barely 10 seconds. Ozil, Maitland-Niles all involved, and there is Ramsey to coolly slot it into the far corner!

25’ - GOAL! Ruiz is robbed of the ball by Torreira, and after he chops it onto his left foot, he sees a low effort take a huge deflection off Koulibaly and beat Meret all ends up.

45’ - OVER! Oh dear, Insigne... a huge moment in this tie as we head towards half-time. Callejon cuts a cross back for Insigne, but he fires wildly over unmarked from inside the area!

71’ - TIPPED OVER! Kolasinac has acres of space to run into down the left, and his cross is tipped batted into the air by Meret, and it falls to Maitland-Niles, whose effort goes into the ground before bouncing dangerously towards goal, and again there is Meret to send it over.

73’ - BIG MISS! A huge chance goes begging for Napoli. Insigne sends in a teasing low ball, but Zielinski appears to go with his wrong foot, as his left steers the ball over while on the stretch.

81’ - OH DEAR! Ramsey falls to his knees after sending his shot over from 12 yards out. He was unmarked when meeting Mkhitaryan's cross - how costly could that prove to be?