SAN FRANCISCO, May 04, (THEWILL) – Diego Costa sent Atletico Madrid through to the Europa League final as the Spanish club won Thursday’s second leg 1-0 at home to clinch a 2-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal.
After a 1-1 draw a week ago in London, former Chelsea striker Costa grabbed the decisive goal just before half-time in Spain as Atletico reached a fifth European final in eight years.
Arsenal’s defence, fragile and nervous throughout, were particularly susceptible and this 1-0 defeat, 2-1 on aggregate, means Arsene Wenger’s final season in charge will end with his team missing out on Champions League qualification for a second year in a row.
For all his domestic achievements, the defeat ends Wenger’s hopes of leaving Arsenal on a high as his team missed out on a shot at a major trophy and squandered their last chance to qualify for the Champions League.
“I’m very sad tonight,” Wenger said.
“Unfortunately you have to go through that — the game can be very cruel, sometimes very nice, but the suffering is very strong tonight.
“Looking at the chances over the two games the least we could say is we are very frustrated. The tie should have been over in the first game.”
Meanwhile, Austrian side Salzburg sent their Europa League semi-final with Marseille to extra time on Thursday with a 2-0 second-leg victory after 90 minutes but conceded a goal 5 minutes before the end of the extra time.
Trailing 2-0 after the first leg in France last week, Salzburg kept things tight in the first period before a rousing second-half performance.
Amadou Haidara halved the aggregate deficit with an excellent individual goal in the 53rd minute, and Marseille full-back Bouna Sarr put through his own net.
Rudi Garcia’s visitors, bidding to become the first French side to reach a European final since 2004, survived some late scares to force a further half-hour.
Marseille will now face Atletico Madrid in the final in Lyon on May 16.
