Arsenal beat Cardiff on sombre night amid Sala tributes

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Jan 29 (Reuters) - ARSENAL 2 CARDIFF CITY 1

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette struck second-half goals to earn a 2-1 win over a relegation-threatened Cardiff City who were playing their first game since Emiliano Sala's disappearance.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores their first goal from a penalty REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

A sombre night at the Emirates Stadium began with tributes paid to Sala who has not been seen since a plane that was bringing him to Britain after his transfer from French club Nantes vanished over the English Channel on Jan. 21.

Aubameyang slotted a 66th-minute penalty past Neil Etheridge after Bruno Manga had fouled Sead Kolasinac.

Unai Emery's side then made their overwhelming territorial superiority count as Lacazette scored a beauty in the 83rd minute, dribbling past Cardiff skipper Sol Bamba before drilling a shot into the corner.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored a stoppage-time consolation for Cardiff, who remain third from bottom despite manager Neil Warnock saying it was their best performance of the season.

"We talked about Emiliano (Sala) before the game and I thought it was appropriate that we gave a good account of ourselves against a good side and I thought we could've won the game," Warnock said.

Cardiff skipper Bamba and Arsenal captain Mesut Ozil placed bunches of daffodils on the pitch before kickoff as a mark of respect for the 28-year-old Sala who had been on his way to join up with his new club.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their first goal with Alexandre Lacazette Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Sala's photo was displayed on the video screens and visiting supporters held up yellow placards while one banner read: "We never saw you play, we never saw you score, but Emiliano, our beautiful Bluebird, we will love you forever more."

The matchday programme listed Sala in Cardiff's squad with a daffodil, an emblem of Wales, next to his name.

Despite the difficult circumstances Cardiff worried Arsenal and Bobby Reid twice went close while Oumar Niasse had a decent appeal for a penalty turned down.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores their first goal from a penalty Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Arsenal took the lead when Manga brought down Kolasinac and Aubameyang converted the spot kick. Lacazette then finished off Cardiff although they did register a goal for the first time in four league games with Mendez-Laing's curler.

A sixth successive home win for fifth-placed Arsenal moved them level on 47 points with Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish. They are also two points clear of Manchester United who could only draw 2-2 at home to Burnley.

Cardiff have 19 points, three behind fourth-from-bottom Southampton.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City's Harry Arter is shown a yellow card by referee Mike Dean REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Shkodran Mustafi down injured Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi is shown a yellow card by referee Mike Dean Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Bernd Leno in action with Cardiff City's Bobby Reid Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City's Callum Paterson in action with Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Sead Kolasinac in action with Cardiff City's Neil Etheridge REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette in action with Cardiff City's Bruno Ecuele Manga REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil gestures during the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City's Callum Paterson in action with Arsenal's Stephan Lichtsteiner Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Cardiff City's Oumar Niasse in action as Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock looks on Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Cardiff City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 29, 2019 Arsenal manager Unai Emery during the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra