A strike from Aaron Ramsey and a Kalidou Koulibaly own goal gave Arsenal a 2-0 win over Napoli in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday evening.
The Gunners, knowing the importance of picking up a victory ahead of next week's return match in Naples, were rewarded for their fast start.
Ramsey rounded off a flowing move with 15 minutes on the clock to open the scoring for his side, followed shortly after by a Koulibaly own goal after the centre-back diverted an off-target shot from Lucas Torreira past his own keeper.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Europa League quarter-final first leg between Arsenal and Napoli at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners cruised through the group stage but have made hard work of their two knockout-stage fixtures thus far, losing the opening 90 minutes to BATE Borisov and Rennes before recovering on home soil in the second legs.
Napoli travel to London for this first leg on the back of wins over also-rans FC Zurich and Red Bull Salzburg in the last 32 and last 16, meanwhile, having dropped down from the Champions League as the best-performing third-placed side.
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Cech; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Torreira, Ramsey, Kolasinac; Ozil; Lacazette, Aubameyang
SUBS: Leno, Iwobi, Guendouzi, Elneny, Suarez, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Meret; Hysaj, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Rui; Callejon, Allan, Ruiz, Zielinski; Mertens, Insigne
SUBS: Ospina, Ghoulam, Ounas, Malcuit, Chiriches, Younes, Milik
KICKOFF: Arsenal make five changes on the back of their 1-0 loss to Everton last weekend. Ramsey and Aubameyang are among those to return, joining Lacazette and Ozil in an attack-minded XI - Emery knows the importance of picking up a victory tonight. Napoli have Insigne back in their ranks, with Milik benched. The hosts get us underway!
The home side have made a positive start, with Maitland-Niles and Kolasinac getting high up the pitch and putting crosses into the box. The latter's delivery is blocked behind by Koulibaly for a corner, which comes to little as Monreal gives away a free kick.
Arsenal win another corner, this time on the right, and it is a decent delivery. Monreal is unable to make the contact he was after and Napoli are able to clear. The Gunners have a terrible away record this term so they clearly want to take a lead of some sort to Italy for next week's return leg.
It has been pretty much constant pressure from Arsenal since kickoff. Another corner comes in from the right but Monreal is once again penalised for barging into Zielinski. Ramsey nearly made contact with the ball at the near post.
SHOT! Emery's men look up for this one - they usually do on home soil! Koulibaly shows why he is so highly rated as he gets in the way of shots from Ramsey and Maitland-Niles in front of goal. The Senegalese really is a rock in that Napoli back four!
Napoli have seen a little more of the ball over the last few minutes, with Zielinski looking lively towards the right. A ball in behind for Ruiz offers promise of a first shot on target but the midfielder is flagged for offside.
Zielinski is played into space down the left and he has Insigne waiting for the pass in the middle. The ball into the forward's path is underhit, though, and Koscielny is able to cut it out for a corner kick.
There is plenty of whip on this latest Torreira corner but yet again nobody in a red and white shirt can get on the end of it. The Gunners have a good tempo to their game but they have been unable to create anything of note thus far.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 NAPOLI (AARON RAMSEY)
GOAL! Ramsey, who is heading for Italian football with Juventus at the end of the season, continues his impressive run of form by opening the scoring for Arsenal. It is a great team goal from the Gunners' perspective as Ozil links up with Ramsey and plays the ball to Lacazette on the right. Lacazette spots Maitland-Niles in the box and the wing-back tees up Ramsey for a first-time finish across Meret.
Arsenal have been rewarded for their fast-pace start to the match through that well-taken goal from Ramsey. Napoli need to settle into the match as an away goal could make all the difference for them. Will Emery accept a 1-0 win at this point? Probably not.
Napoli have started to take control of the match since falling behind. The Italian club's latest attack breaks down, though, and Arsenal have a chance to counter. The ball comes into the box but Rui gets away with his shove on Aubameyang.
Rui is played into space down the left but he cannot get away from Kolasinac. The game has been pretty even since Ramsey opened the scoring nearly 10 minutes ago. The possession has been split nearly 50-50 down the middle.
Callejon whips a dangerous cross into the box but Cech is able to gather at his near post. The Napoli man wanted a penalty for handball, but the referee did not see it and there is no VAR is use this evening.
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 NAPOLI (KALIDOU KOULIBALY, OG)
GOAL! Arsenal have a second goal! Torreira is not known for his goalscoring but, while this one may go down as an own goal, he can be very happy with his part in his side's second. The midfielder turns Ruiz on the edge of the box so that he can shoot with his left foot. The shot appeared to be off target, but it strikes Koulibaly's leg and wrongfoots Meret.
SAVE! Emery's men come close to a third goal that may well have killed off the tie. The corner drops for Kolasinac to strike on the edge of the box, but he catches out a few players by instead teeing up the shot for Aubameyang, whose tame attempt is saved by Meret.
Ozil wins back the ball for his side and starts a counter from deep. The attack comes to nothing but that is another sign that Arsenal are the more likely to score the game's third goal. Napoli have been poor all evening.
Ancelotti does not look like a happy man down on the sideline. The experienced Italian coach could do with half time so that he can think up a new plan. Arsenal are two goals to the good and looking good value for their lead.
SAVE! That Torreira shot for Arsenal's second goal was definitely going wide. UEFA have credited the Uruguayan midfielder with the goal for now, but it will almost certainly be changed to a Koulibaly own goal at some point. Kolasinac's shot is saved by Meret - a simple one for the Napoli keeper.
CHANCE! Napoli are all over the place. Aubameyang is left in space in the box, as is Lacazette, but the latter fails to make contact with the ball when teed up by his striker partner. In his defence, the pass did have a little too much pace on it.
Callejon tries to pick out Mertens at the back post but Sokratis gets his head to the ball first. Napoli look pretty dejected at the moment but one goal will change everything. As far Emery, he will be delighted with his side's first-half showing.
SAVE! Arsenal and knocking on the door for a third. Ramsey drills the ball goalwards from a tight angle but there is no way past Meret on this occasion. The ball comes back into the box but Monreal - for the third or fourth time today - gives away a free kick.
SAVE! Aubameyang's curled shot from outside the box is heading for the bottom corner, only for Meret to get down to keep it out at the second attempt. A minute or so later, the same player tries to dink the ball over his opponent from an angle but it is a much easier save.
SHOT! Ramsey gives the ball away, present Rui with an opportunity to drive forward and get a shot away. The full-back's attempt is pretty poor, sending the ball up and over the crossbar. Arsenal have started to become a little sloppy as we approach half time.
CHANCE! This is Napoli's best chance of the contest so far by quite some distance. Callejon cuts the ball back from the byline and Insigne, the man they would have wanted the ball to fall to, sends the ball high into the stands when spotted unmarked.
CHANCE! The ball drops for Ramsey in the box but he cannot wrap his boot around it and Meret has an easy save to make. That will be the final action of the first half.
HALF TIME: ARSENAL 2-0 NAPOLI
Arsenal take a two-goal lead into half time thanks to strikes from Ramsey and Torreira, though the latter will likely go down as an own goal against Koulibaly. The Gunners were dominant for a good 43 minutes, but Napoli had a glorious chance to cut the deficit right at the end of the half through Insigne. A big second half awaits at the Emirates!
➡️ MATCH STATS
➡️ PLAYER STATS
Napoli had Premier League-linked defender Kalidou Koulibaly in their ranks, and the Senegalese centre-back showed why he is so highly rated when getting in the way of quickfire shots from Aaron Ramsey and Ainsley Maitland-Niles early on. The Gunners were the side on top in the opening 15 minutes and their pressure told when Ramsey found a way through for the opening goal of the tie.
After linking up with Mesut Ozil in a deep position, Ramsey continued his run into the box and converted with a first-time finish across Alex Meret after Maitland-Niles knocked Alexander Lacazette's pass into the Welshman's path. Napoli struggled to respond and they were soon two goals behind as Lucas Torreira turned Fabian Ruiz on the edge of the box and found the back of the net with his left-footed shot, albeit with a huge helping hand thanks to a deflection off Koulibaly's leg.
Sead Kolasinac's tame effort was then kept out by Meret, who was also equal to a couple of attempts from Aubameyang before the first half ended. Arsenal could easily have taken a three-goal lead into the interval, with Lacazette fluffing his lines 12 yards from goal and Ramsey having another shot dealt with. Napoli created just one goalscoring opportunity in the opening 45 minutes and it came shortly before the referee blew his whistle, but Lorenzo Insigne could not keep his shot down when perfectly picked out by Jose Callejon in front of goal.
BENCH WATCH!
ARSENAL SUBS: Leno, Iwobi, Guendouzi, Elneny, Suarez, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi
NAPOLI SUBS: Ospina, Ghoulam, Ounas, Malcuit, Chiriches, Younes, Milik
KICKOFF: Napoli, who faced 10 shots in the first half, get us back underway at the Emirates Stadium! No changes made by either manager at the interval.
YELLOW CARD! Lacazette gets away from Hysaj with a good touch but the Napoli full-back kicks out at his opponents and is shown the first yellow card of the game.
This is promising from Napoli's point of view as a simple 40-yard ball over the top is chased down by Insigne. The visiting skipper tries to pick out a teammate in the middle but Koscielny watches the ball all the way to help it behind.
Napoli are looking a lot more like their usual selves in this second half. They are probing away on the edge of the box but there is no shot at the end of it. A whipped cross from Callejon then goes right through the box without any contact.
Insigne tucks the ball under the body of Cech once slipped through on goal. It is a decent finish but the offside flag had already gone up and he probably knew it. The visitors look as though they have an away goal in them.
CLOSE! Cech is unable to keep the ball in play and the officials award a corner. Koulibaly gets on the end of it, seemingly making contact with his shoulder, and Cech is able to tip it over the bar. Arsenal are starting to hold on now.
There is a massive breakdown in communication as Meret has a simple one to collect but Koulibaly opts to launch it clear. Thankfully for the centre-back, Arsenal created little from the throw.
Arsenal, like Napoli in the first half, are struggling to click into gear. Napoli have been the better side in this second half but they have struggled to create much from open play. Ancelotti will be a far happier man if his side score an away goal.
SAVE! Aubameyang runs towards the Napoli goal. It is three-on-three at one point but the Gabonese striker decides to go it alone, seeing his powerful shot blocked by Maksimovic. The corner is well worked to Ramsey, whose first touch sets himself for a powerful drive at goal from his second - great save from Meret.
CHANCE! Monreal is left unmarked and should do better when getting on the end of the corner. The defender's header spins over the crossbar.
Napoli started the second half well but Arsenal have taken back control of the match over the last five minutes, coming close through Aubameyang, Ramsey and Monreal. Ancelotti is surely considering a change with less than a third of the game to play.
Lacazette is slipped through by Maitland-Niles, but the offside flag goes up - that was a very tight one. Emery is readying a couple of players to come on, with word being that Ozil is one of the players that will make way.
NAPOLI SUB! Milik, perhaps unfortunate not to have started this game, is on for Mertens in Napoli's first change of the game.
ARSENAL SUB! Lacazette and Ozil are replaced by Iwobi and Mkhitaryan. Not sure if Ozil had an injury problem - he took a while to make his way off the field.
Arsenal have players over but they attempt one pass too many. When the ball does come into the middle Meret is able to gather. Insigne is again played in over the top; Insigne is again a fair few yards offside.
SAVE! This is great goalkeeping from Meret to keep his side in the game. Kolasinac powers down the left and Meret parries the cross into the air. Maitland-Niles tries to pick out the back of the net with a first-time finish but the Napoli keeper recovers in time to complete the double save.
CHANCE! This is Napoli's second big chance of the game. Insigne gets in behind Monreal and sends in a delightful cross that Zielinski can only guide over the bar when stretching for it. Had he used his left foot it would have been a different story.
Kolasinac again gets himself in a brilliant position when latching on to Ramsey's back-heeled pass, but he is unable to pick out a teammate. The wing-back's decision making has let him down at times this evening.
The momentum is just about with Arsenal as we head into the final 13 minutes of the match. Both teams have had good opportunities in this second half but it is the Gunners who have offered a more consistent threat.
ARSENAL SUB! Torreira picked up a knock a few minutes ago and he has now been replaced by Elneny. The Uruguayan midfielder's strike for Arsenal's second goal has now been taken off him and 'awarded' to Napoli's Koulibaly.
Ruiz is the latest Napoli player to be flagged for offside when trying to get in behind. Emery will probably accept the full-time whistle at this point. Should his side concede now the second leg will have a completely different feel to it.
CHANCE! This could be a massive moment in the tie. Mkhitaryan delays his cross, which proves to be a good choice as he is able to pick out Ramsey in a glorious position in front of goal. The Welshman gets under the ball and sends it over the bar - he had to score!
NAPOLI SUBS! In defence of Ramsey, the ball did bounce awkwardly in front of him when trying to convert that Mkhitaryan pull-back. Napoli have made another change, bringing on Younes for Zielinski. Ounas is also on for Insigne.
SAVE! Napoli's best route through on goal is down the right, where Monreal is getting caught out far too often. Arsenal recover to deal with the cross and Ounas's long-ranger from the corner is gobbled up by Cech down the middle.
Ounas gets away from his man down the right and Cech is required to slap the ball to safety. Monreal was yet again the weak link there - Napoli are no doubt taking notes ahead of the return match in a week's time. Ounas has been a real threat since coming on.
CLOSE! Half of the stadium thought it was tie over! Mkhitaryan takes the ball away from his man and slides it into the path of Aubameyang. The Gabonese striker fires the ball off target, though it hits the advertising board and rustles the wrong side of the net, explaining the confusion.
Koscielny is caught in the head by goalkeeper Cech and is in need of treatment. Play then resumes but there is no real way through for Napoli. Emery will happily take the full-time whistle now, with two more minutes of added time to come.
FULL TIME: ARSENAL 2-0 NAPOLI
Arsenal will take a 2-0 lead with them to Napoli next week thanks to an early Ramsey strike and an own goal from Koulibaly. Napoli had chances to respond - and an away goal would have changed the complexion of the second leg entirely - but the Gunners also wasted good opportunities so Emery must surely be delighted with the end result.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Emirates Stadium. Thanks for following our updates this evening!
➡️ MATCH STATS
➡️ PLAYER STATS
