Arsenal have cruised past Slavia Prague 4-0 to book a Europa League semi-final spot on Friday (NZ time), scoring three quick-fire goals to advance 5-1 on aggregate.
Alexandre Lacazette struck twice, including a penalty, while Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka also found the net in the quarter-final second leg, setting up a last-four clash with Villarreal.
Arsenal - who were surprisingly held to a 1-1 home draw by the Czech champions - signalled their intent from the start, as they pressed forward to create chances, while Slavia struggled to move the ball out of their own half.
In the 18th minute, the visitors opened the scoring, when Pepe drove a shot home after a pass from Emile Smith-Rowe, who had a goal disallowed for offside minutes earlier after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
In the 21st minute, Lacazette then coolly slotted home a spot-kick, after a Czech midfielder had bundled over Saka. Arsenal struck again three minutes later, when Saka cut inside his defender and fired a low shot past keeper Ondrej Kolar.
Lacazette netted his second of the night in the 77th minute when he latched onto Pepe's cross, before jinking away from two defenders to create some space to beat the Czech keeper.
Arsenal, who ended Slavia's 21-match unbeaten streak at home in all competitions this season, face their former manager Unai Emery's Villarreal in the semi-finals.
In the day's other tie, Manchester United also reached the Europa League semi-finals with a 2-0 home win over Granada.
Edison Cavani's early strike and a Jesus Vallejo own goal secured a 4-0 aggregate rout of the Spanish side.
United will face AS Roma for a place in the May 27 final in Gdansk, after the Italian side ground out a 3-2 aggregate win over Ajax Amsterdam with a 1-1 home draw in the second leg of their quarter-final.
Reuters.
