Chelsea football club has won its second Europa League title after a comfortable 4-1 demolition of Alex Iwobi’s Arsenal during the final in Baku, on Wednesday.
🏆 CHAMPIONS!!! 🏆#UELfinal pic.twitter.com/g4mBEjL9gl
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 29, 2019
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In a very memorable all-English final between two city rivals, an inspired performance from wantaway star, Eden Hazard, earned Chelsea their second crown in Europe’s second-tier club competition.
Hazard scored two and created another goal, while former Gunners forward, Olivier Giroud came back to haunt his former employers after he scored one and assisted another in a dominant second half display from the Blues.
After a dull opening first half that ended goalless but was dominated by Arsenal, who were without Henrikh Mkhitaryan due to ongoing political tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Giroud opened the floodgates of goals when he put Maurizio Sarri’s men ahead five minutes after the restart.
Pedro Rodriguez doubled their advantage on the hour mark before Hazard put the game beyond three-time Europa League winner, Unai Emery and his boys when he converted a spot-kick five minutes later.
Three minutes after coming on, Iwobi pulled one back for the Gunners with a stunning effort, but any hope for an unlikely comeback was immediately extinguished when Hazard restored Chelsea’s three goals advantage with their fourth and final goal of the night.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal (Iwobi 69). #UELfinal pic.twitter.com/dBazy4r51o
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 29, 2019
The scoreline could have been worse for Iwobi and his fellow Gunners but for departing goalkeeper, Petr Cech, who made a series of smart save to leave the scores at a respectable 4-1.
With the win, Chelsea claims their second Europa League title, repeating their 2013 feat, while Arsenal will return to the Europa next season following their defeat in Baku.
