Arsenal scored twice in four minutes to win 2-1 at Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday and spare goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s blushes.
This was after his blunder handed the Austrians a shock lead.
Taxiarchis Fountas capitalised on Leno’s misfortune to put Rapid Vienna ahead in the 51st minute.
David Luiz then headed Arsenal level and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who started from the bench, scored for the win which gave them three points in the Group B match.
Arsenal gave a first start to new signing Thomas Partey whose 50 million euro fee is more than the transfer market value of Rapid Vienna’s entire squad.
According to the specialist website Transfermarkt, the squad’s value is around 34 million euros.
Rapid Vienna, backed by around 3,000 fans at the Weststadion, had the better of the first half and deservedly went ahead six minutes after the restart.
Leno received the ball from Luiz but was dispossessed by Ercan Kara and Fountas turned in the loose ball.
Luiz levelled with a simple goal in the 70th minute, outjumping the Rapid Vienna defence to head in from Nicolas Pepe’s floated free-kick.
Fountas just failed to capitalise on another Leno mistake, shooting wide from 30 metres.
This was after the German charged out of his area and fired the ball against Luiz, before Arsenal won the game in the 74th minute.
Mohamed Elneny threaded a neat pass through to Hector Bellerin and he rolled the ball across for Aubameyang to tap into the net.(Reuters/NAN)
