Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rescued Arsenal’s Europa League campaign from the jaws of defeat as his late winner secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Benfica in Greece.
Arsenal were staring down the barrel of elimination at the round-of-32 stage for the second successive season after Diogo Goncalves’ stunning first-half free-kick and Rafa Silva’s second – after a costly Dani Ceballos error – gifted Benfica the advantage after Aubameyang’s opener.
The collapse left Arsenal with half an hour to salvage their season, and they rose to the challenge in thrilling fashion.
Kieran Tierney’s venomous strike sparked the comeback, which was sealed with three minutes remaining when Aubameyang peeled away to the back post to head in Bukayo Saka’s cross, and Arsenal into the last 16 of the Europa League after a 4-3 aggregate win.