Arsenal 3-2 Vitoria Guimaraes: Nicolas Pepe rescues Gunners in Europe
Substitute Nicolas Pepe rescued Arsenal with two sublime free-kicks in the last 10 minutes of their Europa League group game against Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal were losing 2-1 when Pepe came on in the 75th minute and he scored five minutes later with a curling effort from 25 yards.
He repeated the feat in stoppage time as Arsenal avoided their second straight defeat and retained their place at the top of Group F.
Former Tottenham youngster Marcus Edwards had earlier cut inside and fired into the bottom corners to give Vitoria a shock lead, before Arsenal’s Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli nodded in his fifth goal in just his third start to make it 1-1.
Bruno Duarte restored the visitors’ lead on 36 minutes, pouncing on a rebound to send Arsenal into the half-time break a goal behind.
The Gunners, who were poor for large patches of the game, burst into life in the final 10 minutes as Martinelli was denied from close range before Rob Holding’s header was well held by the goalkeeper.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery made 10 changes from the side that lost to Sheffield United in the Premier League on Monday but was forced to bring on Matteo Guendouzi and Dani Ceballos at half-time, before Pepe made the difference.
- Reaction to Thursday’s Europa League games
Pepe heroics – the start of something?
There was huge excitement this summer when Arsenal signed Ivory Coast winger Pepe from Lille for a club record fee of £72m.
He showed glimpses of brilliance against Liverpool on his first Premier League start in August and picked up an assist in the following game against Tottenham.
But the winger has been largely underwhelming and needed to make an impression from the bench in this European tie.
And that is exactly what he did, curling both set-pieces past a helpless Miguel Silva to give Arsenal another three points in the group, as they maintained their 100% record in the competition this season.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Arsenal
Substitutes
Vitória Guimarães
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Arsenal 3, Vitória Guimarães 2.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 3, Vitória Guimarães 2.
Goal!
Goal! Arsenal 3, Vitória Guimarães 2. Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the top left corner.
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Rochinha (Vitória Guimarães).
Attempt missed. Rochinha (Vitória Guimarães) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Pepe with a headed pass.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Víctor García.
Substitution
Substitution, Vitória Guimarães. Rochinha replaces Davidson.
Attempt saved. Rob Holding (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nicolas Pépé.
Booking
Edmond Tapsoba (Vitória Guimarães) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Edmond Tapsoba (Vitória Guimarães).
Attempt missed. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Emile Smith Rowe with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Frederico Venâncio.
Attempt saved. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Héctor Bellerín.
Attempt missed. Davidson (Vitória Guimarães) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Edmond Tapsoba following a fast break.
Goal!
Goal! Arsenal 2, Vitória Guimarães 2. Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Pepe (Vitória Guimarães).
Attempt missed. Florent Hanin (Vitória Guimarães) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Attempt blocked. André Pereira (Vitória Guimarães) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bruno Duarte.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Nicolas Pépé replaces Alexandre Lacazette.
Booking
Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card.
Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal).
(Vitória Guimarães) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Davidson (Vitória Guimarães).
Attempt blocked. Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Emile Smith Rowe.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Edmond Tapsoba.
Dani Ceballos (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by André Pereira (Vitória Guimarães).
Substitution
Substitution, Vitória Guimarães. André Pereira replaces Marcus Edwards.
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Davidson (Vitória Guimarães).
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Marcus Edwards.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Agu.
Foul by Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal).
Edmond Tapsoba (Vitória Guimarães) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Vitória Guimarães. Pepe replaces André Almeida.
Foul by Dani Ceballos (Arsenal).
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