United, Arsenal into quarters

PARIS – English clubs completed a clean sweep of four teams into the Champions League quarter-finals following a cliff-hanger shootout victory by Arsenal against Roma on Wednesday night.

Defending champions Manchester United had already beaten Inter Milan, and on Tuesday Liverpool and Chelsea had booked their passage.
When Max Tonetto shot high over the bar it gave Arsenal passage into the last eight 7-6 on penalties after the match ended 1-0, 1-1 on aggregate, after extra time.
‘We needed to show our nerve tonight and determination,’ Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports. ‘We were a bit nervous at the start and gave a goal away more by nerves than them creating the chance.
‘I must pay tribute to the nerves of my team. There is something in there that comes out, that is huge mental strength.
‘Our character has been questioned many times. I’ve said many times that this team is very strong.’
At Old Trafford headers by Nemanja Vidic, who outfoxed Patrick Vieira in the box, and then Cristiano Ronaldo put United through 2-0 at the expense of Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan, who never really got on equal terms with their opponents.
Barcelona’s Thierry Henry scored his 49th and 50th goals in the competition, putting him fourth in the all time list, as Barcelona beat French champions Lyon 5-2 at the Nou Camp stadium.
Porto and Atletico finished goalless in Lisbon but the 2-2 draw in the first leg in Spain meant Porto went through on away goals.
The eight teams which go into the Friday March 20 draw are Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Porto and Barcelona, with no Italian team for the first time in seven years.
– Nampa-AFP

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