Sport - Football

Arsenal’s firepower blasts out AC Milan

PARIS: Arsenal produced perhaps one of its finest performances under Arsene Wenger on Tuesday to dethrone AC Milan, beating the Champions League holder 2-0 on the night and on aggregate in their last 16 second leg clash.

Arsenal’s Premiership rival Manchester United, which had started a run of four matches without a win for the Gunners prior to Tuesday, also eased through with a 1-0 victory at home to six-time French champion Lyon.

Portuguese wizard Cristiano Ronaldo’s scorecd the goal in the 30th minute.

Turkish side Fenerbahce also produced an outstanding away performance as it made the last eight for the first time, beating Spanish outfit Sevilla in a penalty shootout after the match ended 5-5 on aggregate (3-2 to Sevilla on the night).

That ended the host’s dreams of a third successive European crown having won the last two UEFA Cups.

Spanish pride was saved by Barcelona, which had downed Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final, as it beat Celtic 1-0 at home.

Arsenal became the first English club to beat Milan at San Siro after Cesc Fabregas scored with a 30-metre shot in the 84th minute and Emmanuel Adebayor added a second in injury time in the 2-0 win.

Arsenal advanced 2-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw in the first leg two weeks ago.

“We knocked the holders out and we did it with a great performance,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “I am very proud of the players. We had been under pressure because we have dropped a few (Premier League) points recently.”

“It’s fantastic for a wide player to do that,” United manager Alex Ferguson said of Ronaldo. “Obviously he drifts into the middle at times as he did tonight. He’s done very well and made a good contribution.”

Sevilla won the match 3-2, but Fenerbahce had beaten the Spanish team by the same score two weeks ago. Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirel then made three saves in the shootout. Xavi Hernandez flicked in a cross from the left by Ronaldinho in the fourth minute to give Barcelona a 1-0 win over Celtic as the Spanish club advanced 4-2 overall.

Lionel Messi, however, left the field in tears in the 35th minute after he tore a left thigh muscle. “I feel sad and I really feel for him and for the team, above all for Leo, who is very upset,” Barcelona president Joan Laporta said.

The last word, though, belongs to Wenger — who knows how injuries to players can affect a club after Eduardo’s awful injury over a week ago — and what lies ahead for future rivals. “My players are hungry.”

The club next on Arsenal’s menu has been warned.

The results (Last 16, second leg): Barcelona 1 (Xavi 3) bt Celtic (SCO) 0. Barcelona wins 4-2 on aggregate; Manchester United 1 (Ronaldo 41) bt Lyon 0. Manchester United wins 2-1 on aggregate.

AC Milan 0 lost to Arsenal 2 (Fabregas 84, Adebayor 90+2). Arsenal wins 2-0 on aggregate; Sevilla 3 (Alves 5, Keita 9, Kanoute 41) bt Fenerbahce 2 (Deivid 20, 79).

Fenerbahce won 3-2 on penalties after tie finished 5-5 after extra-time. — Agencies

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