Arsenal and Sevilla Keep 100% Europa Records Intact, United Win

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Arsenal and Sevilla preserved their 100% records in the Europa League with contrasting victories but PSV Eindhoven dropped their first points of the campaign as the group stage reached the halfway mark on Thursday.

Manchester United claimed their first away win in any competition since March as they beat Partizan Belgrade 1-0 but AS Roma were held to a 1-1 draw as Borussia Moenchengladbach equalized deep into stoppage time.

Arsenal twice trailed at home to Portuguese side Vitoria in an absorbing Group F clash but two sublime free-kicks by substitute Nicolas Pepe, the second in the last minute of stoppage time, earned the Gunners a 3-2 victory.

Sevilla had no such dramas as they cruised to a 3-0 win against Dudelange to top Group A with nine points -- Franco Vázquez scoring twice for the five-time champions.

PSV found no way past visiting Austrian side LASK, drawing 0-0, but remain top of Group D with seven points.

Arsenal had enjoyed 3-0 and 4-0 wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Standard Liege respectively in their opening games but Vitoria, despite having no goals or points before kickoff, were surprisingly a far tougher proposition.

Roared on by a noisy following, the northern Portuguese side took the lead in the ninth minute when English youngster Marcus Edwards, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, jinked inside two Arsenal defenders before beating goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli headed Arsenal level in the 32nd minute but Vitoria were soon ahead again when Bruno Duarte thumped home a rebound from a tight angle.

Pepe, who came off the bench in the 75th minute, spared Arsenal's blushes. In the 80th, after fellow substitute Matteo Guendouzi was fouled, he curled a stunning free-kick past Miguel Silva and repeated the trick to break Vitoria's hearts.

Arsenal have nine points with Eintracht Frankfurt on six after they beat visitors Standard Liege 2-1.

REUTERS