Arsenal dismiss AC Milan to advance to Europa quarters

English football giants Arsenal defeated AC Milan 3-1 here to win their Europa League round of 16 tie by a resounding 5-1 on aggregate and claim a berth in the quarter-finals.

Though a step down from the Champions League, where the Gunners competed for 19 consecutive seasons, hoisting the trophy in 2006, winning the Europa League could redeem an otherwise mediocre campaign for beleaguered manager Arsene Wenger, reports Efe.

Milan faced a daunting task after falling 0-2 in the first leg at the San Siro and they looked determined at the start of the contest at the Emirates on Thursday.

Wenger, taking nothing for granted despite the advantage, went with his first team, minus the injured Alexandre Lacazette and January acquisition Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, excluded because he joined Arsenal after the club had designated Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the single addition to the European roster that UEFA allows.

The visitors' ambition was rewarded in the 35th minute, when Hakan Çalhanoglu tried his luck from 30 yards out and the shot got past Arsenal keeper David Ospina.

But Milan barely had a chance to celebrate before the referee awarded Arsenal a dubious penalty.

The Gunners' Danny Welbeck dropped to the ground inside the 18-yard box with defender Ricardo Rodriguez nearby. While replays showed no contact, the referee accepted the judgment of the assistant and pointed to the spot.

Welbeck took the shot and converted to bring Arsenal level on the night and boost their overall lead to 3-1.

Any lingering doubts were removed in the 71st minute, when Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma misplayed a shot from Granit Xhaka from outside the 18-yard box and fumbled the ball into his own net.

Welbeck scored on header with four minutes left to make the final 3-1.

--IANS

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