Arsenal made history in Milan as late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor ensured they progressed to the last eight of the Champions League, on a night in which Cristiano Ronaldo's 30th goal of the season saw off Lyon at Old Trafford.
Prior to the visit of Arsene Wenger's side to the San Siro, Milan had never lost to an English club on home soil but when Fabregas struck with six minutes remaining there was no way back for the Italians. And it just kept getting better for Wenger's charges as in the last minute Adebayor banished the memory of his first leg miss with a second. There was nothing fortuitous about Arsenal's victory as they played with archetypal swagger and style in taking the game to the European champions from the off.
While Arsenal were magnificent, Manchester United were more functional as Ronaldo yet again proved to be their match winner on a night when Sir Alex Ferguson will care little for the manner of their victory. Celtic's trip to Barcelona was billed as a Mission Impossible Tom Cruise would have baulked at and so it proved at Camp Nou as Xavi's goal ensured a 1-0 win on the night and a 4-2 aggregate success over the two legs.
Arsenal withstood early pressure in Milan that saw chances carved for Filippo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato, before finding a rhythm that had a partisan home crowd rightly on edge. Prolonged periods of crisp possession for Wenger's side saw Adebayor force Zeljko Kalac to tip over and Fabregas rue the width of the crossbar with a thumping effort from distance. After the break Arsenal continued to press strongly as Philippe Senderos from close range and then Emmanuel Eboue in acres of space in Milan's box both missed glorious opportunities to notch an away goal.
Theo Walcott went close to winning it with a bright cameo from the bench but it was Fabregas that broke Milan's resolve with a daisy cutter that beat Kalac from 30-yards. Gloss was put on the most polished of displays when in the final minute Adebayor tapped in from close range after Walcott had scampered down the right.