BATE Borisov vs Arsenal - as it happened: Gunners see out erratic Europa League victory in Belarus
Re-live all the action from the Borisov Arena
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal head to Belarus for the second game of their Europa League campaign where they face BATE Borisov.
In attendance will be Aleksandr Hleb, the former Arsenal midfielder who spent four separate spells with the Belarusian champions, who has been pictured exchanging niceties with Arsene Wenger this week.
Those who won’t be there include Laurent Koscielny, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette who are among a host of senior players to be left at home for this long trip east.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the game…
What time does it start?
The game kicks off at 6pm (BST) at the Borisov Arena on Thursday 28 September.
Where can I watch it?
BT Sport 2 will be broadcasting the game. Alternatively, return to this page for updates from our live blog.
It's a big game for...
Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Arsene Wenger was glowing in his praise of the young midfielder ahead of this game, hinting that he will be given a place in the starting line-up for a second Europa League game running. “He has great quality, he can steal the ball without making fouls,” the Frenchman said. “I’m convinced he is ready to play. He has to improve a little bit on the concentration front because the demands of top level football don’t tolerate some lapses of concentration.” Can he impress his boss even more tonight?
Player to watch…
Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has never fully convinced as a top quality forward since joining Arsenal in 2012. Now his position has been fully usurped by compatriot Alexandre Lacazette who already looks like a crowd favourite at the Emirates. But Giroud can still provide a top quality second option for the Gunners – and he has scored 99 goals for the club in his time there. A man with a point to prove, with a huge milestone in his sights against weak opposition… expect Giroud to be at the top of his game…
Form…
BATE Borisov: WWDWW
Arsenal: WWDWW
Odds…
BATE Borisov: 5/1
Draw: 16/5
Arsenal: 4/7
20 min: Another chance for Ivanic but this time it almost ends in a goal. The player bounces on a failed Arsenal clearance and, positioned just outside the visitors' penalty area, catches the ball on the bounce to fire a low-driven shot to Ospina's right. It fizzes inches wide of the post but could have easily found the back of the net. A warning shot to Arsenal.
GOAL! BATE Borisov 0-2 Arsenal (Walcott, 22 min)
Oh dear. There's only one person to blame for this goal and it's the BATE goalkeeper. In an attempt to play the ball to his full-back, Scherbitski instead ended up passing to the unmarked Theo Walcott on the edge of the box. Holding his nerve, the Englishman proceeded to fire a shot past the red-cheeked 'keeper and into the bottom left-hand corner.
GOAL! BATE Borisov 0-3 Arsenal (Holding, 26 min)
That's surely game, set, match. From a corner ball, Rob Holding rose highest in the box to extend the visitor's lead to 3-0.
GOAL! BATE Borisov 1-3 Arsenal (28 min)
Out of nowhere, the home side hit back. Meeting a well-placed delivery from the right, Ivanic beat Elneny to the ball just outside Ospina's seven-yard box, nodding it past the 'keeper and into the goal. Game on?
31 min: BATE free-kick from just inside Arsenal's final third. Stasevich delivers and a yellow shirt appears to get the slightest of touches to direct the ball towards Ospina's left-hand side corner. The Colombian springs into life to push the effort wide and keep Arsenal in control.
35 min: Arsenal corner. It's whipped in from the left but Scherbitski asserts himself well to punch the danger clear. The visitors come again but Giroud's shot on goal is easily dealt with by the BATE 'keeper.
38 min: Gayduchik catches Wilshere with a late challenge from behind. The ref blows for the foul but no yellow card...
40 min: Arsenal concede the foul this time and it's in a dangerous area. Stasevich with the delivery from the right and it takes two Arsenal heads before the danger is cleared.
42 min: Walcott with a chance from the right! After picking up Wilshere's intercepted pass inside the BATE box, the forward strikes from a tight angle near the right-hand side baseline. It's agonisingly close but runs past the wrong side of the far post.
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