Superb Arsenal knock out holders AC Milan at San Siro
Emmanuel Adebayor's late goal secured the win for Arsenal
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Tuesday, 04, Mar 2008 11:05
Goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor earned Arsenal a place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a deserved 2-0 win at AC Milan.
The tie was effectively over when a spectacular strike from the Spaniard, who was arguably the best player on the pitch, hit the back of the net with just seven minutes to play.
He picked up the ball just inside the opposition half before advancing to the edge of the area and firing into the bottom right-hand corner from 25 yards.
Then a late tap-in from Adebayor after good work from substitute Theo Walcott down the right guaranteed the win and a famous Gunners victory.
Even before the goals, Arsenal had enjoyed considerable possession and dictated the tempo of the game throughout.
A lively first half was reminiscent of a Premier League game rather than the pedestrian pace of the Serie A action normally reserved for the San Siro.
Despite Milan being touted as the possession team, and with being on home soil, it was the visitors who took command of the tie and should have been ahead by half-time.
Other than some brief glimpses of Kaka's talent, including a beautiful far-post cross that picked out striker Alexandre Pato who should have done better with a clear shot at goal, Milan were quiet.
Fabregas, Adebayor and support man Alexander Hleb were forever busy closing down the home side whenever they were in possession and forcing the pace of the game.
Hleb was harshly booked for a dive on the edge of the area when there appeared to be contact, albeit minimal, from Paolo Maldini.
And minutes later, Fabregas found some space on the edge of the Milan area and fired in a split-second shot which rebounded off the bar before the teams went in at the break still goalless.
Early in the second half, good work from Adebayor down the left won a corner for the visitors.
And from the resulting cross Philippe Senderos stole in at the far post but could only direct his shot down the throat of Milan goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac.
Another excellent passing move from Arsenal in the 50th minute enabled Emmanuel Eboue to find space on the left side of the penalty area, but his wayward shot fizzed wide.
Milan began to find their feet in the game, and Kaka was again at the centre of things with a superb run from midfield down the left before cutting inside and firing his shot just wide.
Substitute Theo Walcott ran through before seeing his shot across goal blocked by the keeper. A scramble in the area followed before Kalac pounced on the loose ball.
But then the near three-hour deadlock was broken by Fabregas' superb run and shot to give Arsenal a vital away goal.
Adebayor then completed the scoreline with his late tap-in after excellent work from Walcott to evade his man and lay a chance on the plate for the Togolese to slot home.
The hard-earned but well-deserved victory makes the Gunners the first English team to win at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza and sees them knock out the holders and advance to the last eight with style.