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Arsenal send holders Milan crashing out

  • Story Highlights
  • Arsenal win 2-0 at the San Siro to reach the Champions League last eight
  • Late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor put Arsenal through
  • The result sees holders AC Milan crash out of the competition in the last 16
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MILAN, Italy -- Arsenal dumped holders AC Milan out of the Champions League in the San Siro with late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor securing a 2-0 win and a place in the quarterfinals.

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Fabregas wheels away in delight after scoring the goal that put Arsenal on the way to a famous win at the San Siro.

Spanish international Fabregas smashed in a brilliant 20-meter strike with just six minutes left, before Adebayor made sure of the win, slotting home from close range after a great run and cross on the right from Theo Walcott.

It was no more than Arsenal deserved, becoming the first English team to beat Milan on their own pitch, having dominated for long spells and with Fabregas earlier having hit the crossbar.

The Premier League leaders started brightly, closing down Milan well and denying them space in midfield. After seven minutes, Alex Hleb found himself in space at the edge of the penalty area -- but crashed his drive well over.

However, it was the hosts who almost snatched an early lead, when a corner from the left was flicked on at the near post by Paolo Maldini, and it needed a goal-line clearance from Fabregas to keep the ball out.

After 13 minutes, Arsenal broke quickly as Adebayor latched onto a long pass from Fabregas. The Togo frontman held the ball up and laid it off to the advancing Abou Diaby, but his placed shot from 15 meters was just over the top-right angle of the crossbar.

Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia got down well to smother a far-post volley from Filippo Inzaghi as play continued to move from end to end.

A sweeping run by Kaka saw Milan break down the left in the 18th minute. As the Arsenal defense backed off, the Brazilian chipped the ball to the far post, where Alexandre Pato really should have done better than just a feeble shot straight at Almunia.

Milan continued to press, with Inzaghi heading wide from a corner and Kaka's low drive skimming just the wrong side of the near post.

Adebayor -- who hit the woodwork in stoppage time during the first leg -- came close to scoring again after 27 minutes. The big African cut inside from the right, and his 12-meter drive was tipped over by Milan keeper Zeljko Kalac.

Arsenal were now enjoying a good spell themselves and Hleb was incensed after he appeared to be caught by Alessandro Nesta on the edge of the Milan penalty area, but was harshly cautioned by Austrian referee Konrad Plautz for what he saw as a dive.

Adebayor then stepped inside before rolling the ball back to Fabregas. The Spaniard set himself before rifling in a drive which beat Kalac, but crashed against the crossbar.

Arsenal missed another golden chance to net that crucial away goal after the restart. A cross from the left found its way through to Philippe Senderos at the back post -- but the big defender's effort was hit straight at Kalac.

After 50 minutes, Emmanuel Eboue was played in on the overlap down the right of the Milan penalty area, but blasted his angled drive wide.

Almunia then had to be alert to turn away a free-kick from Andrea Pirlo at full stretch, as the ball looked to be sneaking into the bottom right corner.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sent on Theo Walcott, replacing Eboue, and the England Under-21 winger almost set up Adebayor -- but his cutback from the goalline was cleared.

Pato flashed an angled drive just wide from the left side of the penalty area as the tie remained on a knife-edge heading into the final 10 minutes of normal time.

Then, out of nothing, Fabregas won it with a superb solo goal. The midfielder picked up the ball, sidestepped Gennaro Gattuso and drilled his strike into the bottom right corner.

Adebayor scored a second in added time, following a fine run and low cross from Walcott along the goal-line, to cap a magnificent night for the Gunners.

"I am very proud of the players, we had been under pressure because we have dropped a few points recently," said Wenger.

"But It didn't affect us and we came out in a determined way and played with enthusiasm. We dominated the game and didn't make any mistakes, but we were creative. We are in the two main competitions and I feel that gives us a big boost for the rest of the season," he added. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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