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No words can describe how elated the Arsenal team and fans must be feeling right now. They are going to Baku for the Europa League finals!
Last season, they were knocked out at the semifinal stage of the competition. But under Unai Emery's guide, they have gone one step further.
Valencia started the match strong. They made use of their advantage of playing at home and got the game moving quickly.
Kevin Gameiro opened the scoring in the 11th minute. At that time, most viewers would have been wondering whether Valencia would secure a comeback just like Tottenham and Liverpool have done in the Champions League.
But the Gunners' fears were allayed as they did not lose their focus and calmed the match down. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised for his side just six minutes later, and everything was level by the half-time whistle.
It was a different story after the break. As much as the home team tried their best to not give up, Arsenal proved to be stronger. Alexandre Lacazette netted to restore Arsenal's confidence, and the game seemed all but over.
Gameiro scored once again as he bundled the ball past Petr Cech. Despite his goal though, the home fans knew they had very little chance of advancing.
Not too long later, Aubameyang scored another two goals to make it 4-2 for the visitors. The North London club made no mistake and ensured that they did not endure the same fate as Barcelona or Ajax.
Here are three reasons why the Gunners won the tie and advanced to the finals:
#3 The Gunners gave it their all
After the disappointing draw with Brighton over the weekend, Emery knew that his side had close to zero chance of finishing in the top four. Tottenham, who are fourth right now, have a much better goal difference than Arsenal.
Winning the Europa League semi-final tie and final was the only route left for the Gunners in order to qualify for the Champions League next season. The goal for the team was clear: they must win at any cost.
Emery named a strong starting XI, including the likes of veteran defenders such as Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny. Though Arsenal conceded two goals, the defensive line ought to be given credit for all the hard work throughout the match.
Valencia pressed high and had more attempts than the Gunners. However, they could not get more goals past their opponents.
All the Arsenal players gave their best and treated the match in Spain as though they were already playing in the finals. That ultimately made the difference.
#2 Emery's tactics
Arsenal don't have a great record against Spanish teams, especially when playing in Spain. Last season, Arsene Wenger was tasked to face Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of the same competition. The Madrid team beat Arsenal at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
This time around, things were different for Emery. Although his side conceded first at the Mestalla Stadium, he got his players to stick to the gameplan.
Rather than opt for a more defensive side, Emery insisted on attacking Valencia - and that paid off.
It mattered little how many goals Cech let in. What mattered the most was how many they themselves could score. As long as the Gunners scored more, the former Paris-Saint Germain manager would be satisfied.
If you look past what went wrong domestically in the Premier League, Emery does seem to have a way of getting through tough competition in the Europa League. Just the way he planned things out for the game against Napoli, his tactics worked again but this time, and Valencia were at the receiving end.
#1 Dynamic duo of Aubameyang and Lacazette
Where would Arsenal have been without their two main strikers - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette? Some might suggest they would've been a mid-table club in the Premier League, and not in any European competition.
On this particular night, Aubameyang and Lacazette made the difference for their team, and proved yet again just how valuable they are.
The two strikers hardly needed any midfielders to create chances for them; they simply relied on each other. Right from the moment the former Dortmund striker equalised for his side, Arsenal grew in confidence.
The forwards did not get that many chances largely because Valencia were dominant in possession. Yet, they converted almost every chance they could find for themselves.
Arsenal have these two men to thank for bringing the club to the finals in Baku next month. Because of their abilities and never say-die attitude, the Gunners have a chance to lift the Europa League trophy. Because of them, the team managed to secure such a high scoreline.
Who would have expected that all seven goals from this semi-final competition would be scored by the two of them? Aubameyang and Lacazette have gone above and beyond their duty for the team.
