WATCH: Arsenal Routs CSKA Moscow in Europa League Behind Ramsey, Lacazette
After one half at the Emirates, Arsenal appears poised to go through to the Europa League semifinals.
Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette each scored twice in the opening 35 minutes, helping Arsenal race out to a 4-1 lead over CSKA Moscow by halftime in the first leg of the quarterfinals. The Gunners wound up winning by that same scoreline, wasting a handful of more opportunities to really put the Russian opposition away.
Arsenal entered the match as winners of four straight in all competitions–including a sweep of AC Milan in the Europa League round of 16–and it continued that fine form Thursday.
Ramsey scored his first nine minutes in, firing home from 10 yards out with a perfectly hit, first-time, right-footed finish.
That optimism was put on hold six minutes later when Aleksandr Golovin beat Petr Cech with a beautiful free kick.
Arsenal seized control soon after with three goals in a 12-minute span. Mesut Ozil won a penalty that Lacazette converted in the 23rd minute, before Ramsey scored on an audacious karate-kick flick from in close after Ozil's assist in the 28th.
Ozil set up Lacazette again in the 35th to make it 4-1, with CSKA's porous defense gifting the Gunners opportunity after opportunity.
The second leg will take place next Thursday in Russia, with the hosts having plenty of work to do to overturn the deficit.
