Gunners bow out

ARSENAL put up a spirited display in their Champions League last-16 second leg but were ultimately eliminated by AC Milan, while Benfica beat Zenit St Petersburg 4-3 on aggregate to advance.At Emirates Stadium, it appeared Arsenal would need a miracle to become the first club to overturn a 4-0 first leg deficit to progress against AC Milan. The Gunners were determined to serve up an upset, though, and raced into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and a Robin van Persie penalty. However, Arsene Wenger’s side tired in the second half and try as they might could not find the decisive fourth goal to send the game into extra-time, with captain Van Persie guilty of missing their best chance as his attempted chip was saved by Christian Abbiati. Milan looked a shadow of the side that had demolished Arsenal at the San Siro two weeks ago, but the Serie A leaders hung on to progress to the quarter-finals. In Lisbon, Benfica’s task against Zenit St Petersburg appeared considerably more achievable after their first leg ended 3-2 in favour of the Russians. And Jorge Jesus’ side were left celebrating their place in the last eight after earning a 2-0 victory at the Estadio da Luz. Maxi Pereira set Benfica on their way as he lashed home the opening goal in first-half stoppage time, and substitute Nelson Miguel Castro Oliveira rounded things off late on with a breakaway strike in the third minute of injury time.

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Gunners bow out