AC Milan 0 - 2 Arsenal

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Tuesday Mar 04 2008 07:45

Arsenal struck twice in the final six minutes in the San Siro to record a superb 2-0 victory over AC Milan and clinch a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The first leg of the tie ended goalless at the Emirates Stadium, leaving the Gunners with a massive task on their hands, but they roared through thanks to goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor.

The opening minutes saw little of either sides' attack, before Alexandre Pato beat a couple of defenders and earned a corner, which was almost deflected into his own net by Adebayor.

Five minutes later, Adebayor held the ball up superbly and fed the arriving Abou Diaby and he curled a right-foot shot narrowly wide from 20 yards out.

Kaka, who was kept quiet for much of the game, raced away from a couple of markers after 19 minutes and floated a delightful chip over the defence to Pato at the far post, but his tame shot was straight at Manuel Almunia.

Just before the half-hour mark, Adebayor made a yard of space on the left side of the area and his dipping shot forced Zeljko Kalac into a tip-over at full stretch.

Five minutes later, Adebayor caused problems again and his pass to Fabregas allowed the Spaniard to fire off a swerving shot, which beat Kalac before smacking against the crossbar.

Early in the second half, Andrea Pirlo gave the ball away to Adebayor on the edge of the Milan area, he played in Emmanuel Eboue, but he sliced his shot wide of Kalac's near post.

After that the game started to open up a little, but it wasn't until 16 minutes from time that another clear opening was created.

Alexander Hleb played a superb ball over the top to sub Theo Walcott, his cross was half-blocked and, as Adebayor went for the rebound, Kalac dived to gather the loose ball.

Six minutes from time the Gunners struck the crucial first goal as Fabregas turned past Gennaro Gattuso and his low 35-yard right-foot shot somehow crept past Kalac into the corner of the net.

That left Milan needing two goals to rescue the game, but their misery was complete in stoppage time as Arsenal wrapped up the tie with a superb second goal of their own.

Walcott did superbly on the right and drove on towards the by-line, before squaring the ball across the area for Adebayor to net from close range to seal a well-deserved 2-0 win on the night and on aggregate.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    Full-Time: AC MILAN 0-2 ARSENAL.
  • 90
    What a result for the Gunners, they have thoroughly deserved it too.
  • 90
    AC MILAN 0-2 ARSENAL, it's all over now as Walcott does superbly on the right and serves the ball up on a plate for the onrushing ADEBAYOR.
  • 90
    Four minutes of added time to be played.
  • 90
    Hleb trudges off and GIlberto takes over for the closing minutes.
  • 89
    Almunia collides with Massimo Ambrosini as he gathers a loose ball and the Spaniard stays down injured.
  • 89
    A couple of minutes and stoppage time to go, Arsenal are nearly home and dry.
  • 88
    Arsenal are keen to get GIlberto Silva onto the pitch to waste a bit more time.
  • 86
    Milan need to score twice to go through now, surely Arsenal have done enough.
  • 85
    Pirlo brings down Walcott as the frustration shows.
  • 84
    AC MILAN 0-1 ARSENAL, what a moment for the Gunners, FABREGAS breaks past his marker and his low 35-yard shot somehow creaps past Kalac into the corner of the net.
  • 83
    Pirlo's chip over the top is too hard and Almunia trots out to collect the ball.
  • 82
    Extra-time gets closer all the time, nine minutes to play.
  • 80
    Kaka thinks he has won a throw and hurls the ball into the ground when it goes the other way, that's a booking.
  • 79
    Pato runs at Clichy on the left and his shot is deflected narrowly wide of the far post off Senderos.
  • 78
    Diaby strides forward on the left, but his left-foot cross drifts away out of play for a goal-kick.
  • 76
    Fifteen minutes to play and Arsenal still look more likely to find that crucial goal.
  • 74
    Hleb plays a superb ball over the top to Walcott, his cross is half-blocked and as Adebayor goes for the rebound Kalac dives to gather the loose ball.
  • 72
    Pirlo goes down under the challenge of Clichy, who is shown a yellow card for that foul.
  • 71
    Walcott is being readied by Wenger and he comes on for Eboue.
  • 69
    Alberto Gilardino takes the place of Inzaghi in the home side's attack.
  • 68
    Hleb plays the ball through to the onrushing Eboue, who goes down looking for a penalty, but the Austrian referee is unmoved.
  • 66
    The game is just starting to get a bit stretched in midfield, this might suit Kaka and Milan a little better.
  • 64
    Fabregas tries to play in Eboue on the right, but the wily old Maldini is in quickly with the challenge.
  • 62
    Kaka sprints around the outside of Fabregas, before cutting back inside Bacary Sagna, but he cannot hit the target from 20 yards.
  • 61
    Gattuso is down and requiring treatment, so the game is held up for a minute or two.
  • 60
    Both managers have got substitutes warming up, the tie is very much in the balance.
  • 58
    Still no breakthrough from either side, extra-time is still a possibility.
  • 56
    Eboue catches Kaladze a little late and is also shown a yellow card.
  • 55
    Inzaghi seems to have said something out of turn and goes into the book.
  • 54
    Pirlo attempts a shot at goal from a 30-yard free-kick and Almunia has to get down to turn the ball away for a corner.
  • 52
    It's a positive start to the second half for the Gunners, Milan look slightly off the pace.
  • 51
    Andrea Pirlo gives the ball away to Adebayor on the edge of the Milan area, he plays in Eboue, but he slices his shot wide of Kalac's goal.
  • 49
    Pato drifts inside off the right flank and tries his luck from 25 yards, but his shot is a few yards wide of Almunia's near post.
  • 47
    The visitors have the first chance of the second half, but Senderos heads straight at Kalac.
  • 46
    Arsenal get the second period underway.
  • 45
    Half-Time: AC MILAN 0-0 ARSENAL.
  • 45
    Senderos does well to cover the run of Pato, after Kaka finally gets back into the game with another dangerous run.
  • 45
    Final minute of the first half, there shouldn't be much time to add on.
  • 43
    Adebayor again creates space for himself, but scuffs a 20-yard shot well wide under pressure.
  • 42
    Wenger will be delighted with his side's play so far, they just need to find an end product.
  • 40
    Adebayor senses he might get a chance to get in a shot on goal, but the little terrier Gattuso is in to make an important challenge.
  • 38
    The home fans are whistling away as Arsenal knock the ball around again.
  • 36
    Arsenal have definitely taken charge of the game in the last few minutes, a goal before half-time would be the perfect reward.
  • 34
    Adebayor causes chaos again and his pass to Fabregas allows the Spaniard to fire off a swerving shot, which beats Kalac before smacking against the crossbar.
  • 33
    Hleb seems to be brought down right on the edge of the area by Alessandro Nesta, but the referee books the Gunners forward for a dive.
  • 32
    Fabregas and Diaby both have shots blocked, as Arsenal begin to dominate the possession.
  • 31
    Fabregas and Hleb make space for Emmanuel Eboue to fire the ball in from the right, but no-one is there to meet the cross.
  • 29
    Clever play around the edge of the Milan area by Hleb sets up Fabregas and his shot is deflected away for a corner.
  • 28
    Adebayor makes a yard of space on the left side of the area and his dipping shot forces Zeljko Kalac into a tip-over at full stretch.
  • 26
    Adebayor looks a little isolated at times for Arsenal, Wenger has Nicklas Bendtner, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie on the bench.
  • 24
    Midway through the first half and both sides have had half-chances, but nothing clear-cut just yet.
  • 22
    Kaka gets away from Clichy on the left and drills a low left-foot shot a foot past the near post, Almunia had it covered all the way.
  • 20
    Gael Clichy gets around to cover after Philippe Senderos' misplaced header almost lets in Inzaghi.
  • 20
    That move only highlights just how dangerous Kaka can be to any opposition.
  • 19
    Kaka races away from a couple of markers in midfield and floats a delightful chip over the defence to Pato at the far post, but his tame shot is straight at Almunia.
  • 18
    Arsenal enjoy some good possession, before Cesc Fabregas strays into an offside position.
  • 16
    After a cautious start this game is starting to flow nicely from end to end.
  • 15
    Paolo Maldini gets forward and drives in a cross from the left, Pippo Inzaghi volleys goalwards at the far post and Almunia is down to gather the low shot.
  • 13
    Adebayor holds the ball up superbly and feeds the arriving Abou Diaby, he curls a right-foot shot narrowly wide from 20 yards out.
  • 12
    William Gallas is back up after taking a knock to the back of his head.
  • 10
    Milan win another corner, they are beginning to pen Arsenal back into their own area.
  • 9
    Arsenal clear another corner away, with the game having well and truly having caught light.
  • 8
    Young Milan ace Alexandre Pato beats a couple of defenders and earns a corner, which is almost deflected into his own net by Adebayor.
  • 7
    Alex Hleb has the first effort for the Gunners, but fires over the crossbar from 25 yards out.
  • 7
    Gennaro Gattuso has the first shot of the game, but it's deflected and runs tamely through to Manuel Almunia.
  • 5
    No chances for either side as yet, both keepers have yet to be involved in the game.
  • 2
    It's a cagey opening to the game, although Arsenal have already seen a bit of the ball.
  • 1
    Milan get the game underway.
  • 0
    Brazilian superstar Kaka is fit to start for the Rossoneri, while Emmanuel Adebayor is the lone striker for Arsene Wenger's side.
  • 0
    The first leg of this tie ended goalless at the Emirates Stadium, leaving the Gunners with a massive task on their hands.
  • 0
    Arsenal face AC Milan in the cauldron of the San Siro, with a place in the last eight of the Champions League at stake.

Statistics

AC Milan
Shots on target 8
Shots off target 9
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 14
Offsides 5
Corners 8

Arsenal
Shots on target 6
Shots off target 5
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 23
Offsides 9
Corners 3

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