FOOTBALL NEWS - Östersund, led by unsung English coach Graham Potter, were defeated 3-0 at home by Premier League aristocrats Arsenal in the first leg of this round of 32 tie, but the European debutants will treasure the experience of playing in one of English football’s largest stadiums whatever the outcome.
The Swedish side have already enjoyed a lengthy maiden European adventure, qualifying as the runners-up of Group J behind Athletic Club – and only on head-to-head records after both amassed 11 points. Arsenal, meanwhile, cruised through their first UEFA Europa League group stage, clinching top spot in Group H with a game to spare.
The Gunners cruised to a first-leg victory against their out-of-season hosts in icy central Sweden, Nacho Monreal opening the scoring before a Sotirios Papagiannaopolos own goal. Mesut Özil made it 3-0 just before the hour and Östersund, who had never previously lost at home in Europe, were denied a late consolation when David Ospina saved Tom Pettersson's penalty.
In each of the other two seasons that Arsenal have faced a team from Sweden, they have gone on to reach a European final – and lose it on penalties after a goalless draw.
The Gunners defeated IFK Göteborg 5-1 on aggregate in the 1979/80 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals en route to losing the final on spot kicks to Valencia in Brussels. Twenty years later they were shoot-out sufferers once again against Galatasaray in Copenhagen in the final of the UEFA Cup, having beaten AIK at home (3-1, with Fredrik Ljungberg among the Gunners' scorers) and away (3-2) in the UEFA Champions League first group stage.
