Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/275833
Sport 21 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH 2014 SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Atletico Madrid thrash Milan as Bayern defeat Arsenal DIEGO Costa scored twice as Atletico Ma- drid sealed a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years with an impressive 4-1 victory over AC Milan at the Vi- cente Calderon. Costa, whose late header earned Atletico a 1-0 first-leg win at San Siro, acrobatically put the Spanish side ahead with the first chance of Tuesday's last-16 second leg but former Real Madrid star Kaka head- ed Milan level. Arda Turan's deflected strike made it 2-1 to Atletico before the break, and then second-half goals from Raul Garcia and Costa sealed a deserved 5-1 aggregate victory for the Spanish side. Milan were always up against it even before kick-off, with only two teams in the history of the Cham- pions League ever having recovered from losing at home in the first leg to go and win the tie. And if that was not worrying enough for the Rossoneri, Atletico were one of only two sides still un- beaten in this season's competition - the other being Real Madrid - while the Rojiblancos had won 15 of their last 16 home games in Europe. History therefore hugely favoured Atletico, and less than three min- utes into the contest the present was looking pretty good for Diego Simeone's side as well with Costa continuing his magnificent season with a superb finish to put the hosts ahead. Koke floated in a cross from the right edge of the area and Costa, having peeled away from Milan centre-back Adil Rami, flung him- self at the ball and managed to vol- ley it past Christian Abbiati at full stretch. That was Costa's sixth goal in this season's Champions League and 27th in all competitions and, of more immediate significance, it left Milan needing to score at least three times to go through. The mountain had become even bigger for the seven-time European champions, but they got a foothold back into the tie in the 27th minute when Kaka headed home from their first decent opportunity. Mario Balotelli played the ball out to Andrea Poli and his deep cross was met at the far post by Kaka, whose header flew into the net via the thigh of Atletico defender Juan- fran. That was just the boost Milan needed and they really should have taken a 2-1 lead in the 36th minute but this time Kaka contrived to head a great chance over from six yards. The Brazil international really should have scored from that, but Atletico survived and four minutes later they were ahead again, albeit with the help of a huge slice of good fortune. Costa chested the ball down to Arda on the edge of the area and the Turkey midfielder's half-volley took a crucial deflection off Rami before looping into the net. The momentum was back with the Spanish side now and Garcia al- most made it 3-1 with a spectacular overhead kick just before the break, the ball going inches wide with Ab- biati rooted to the spot. Atletico were back on the attack after the interval with recent Spain debutant Costa and Gabi going close before Milan substitute Rob- inho - another Real Madrid old boy - drew a parry out of Thibaut Cour- tois with a cross-shot. Milan were pushing but they could not find a breakthrough before Atletico all but settled the tie in the 71st minute when Garcia climbed above two visiting defenders to head home Gabi's free-kick. There was no way back for Clarence Seedorf 's men after that, although Robinho did hit the crossbar soon after, and Atletico wrapped up a convincing win when Costa drilled a shot in off the far post in the 85th minute. In the other match, Arsenal bowed out of the Champions League de- spite a spirited 1-1 draw against holders Bayern Munich at the Alli- anz Arena. It was always going to be a tall or- der for Arsene Wenger's men after losing the first leg of their last-16 tie 2-0 in London last month. And so it proved, despite a resil- ient effort from the Barclays Pre- mier League side, who equalised through Lukas Podolski having fallen behind to Bastian Schwein- steiger's close-range effort early in the second half. There was late drama when Lu- kasz Fabianski saved a stoppage- time penalty from Thomas Muller for what looked a soft decision for a challenge by Laurent Koscielny on Arjen Robben. However, unlike previous cam- paigns all is not yet lost for the Gunners this season, as they head to Tottenham on Sunday looking to get themselves back in the title race and can look ahead to an FA Cup semi-final against Wigan at Wem- bley in April. The contest got off to a low-key start by both sides, which was un- derstandable given the importance of the first goal in the balance of the tie. The first opening arrived on 20 minutes when David Alaba darted down the left and fed Franck Rib- ery, whose floated cross towards the back post was blasted down and over the bar by Robben. Bayern thought they had sewn up the tie on 27 minutes when Javi Martinez fired home a chipped free-kick by Thiago, but the offside flag was swiftly raised. Arsenal came close to snatching a crucial away goal when Olivier Giroud's header from a corner was plucked out of the air by Manuel Neuer. Arsenal's club-record signing Mesut Ozil, whose early penalty miss in the first leg proved so costly, was replaced at half-time by Tomas Rosicky, understood to because of a tight hamstring. Bayern looked to have made the tie safe when Schweinsteiger con- verted Franck Ribery's cross on 55 minutes. Arsenal, though, produced a quick response to level when Podolski, the former Bayern striker, crashed the ball in at the near post. But despite a good spell from the visitors it was not enough to pull off an upset and at least Fabianski's late save avoided what would have been an unjust defeat. Arsenal captain Thomas Vermae- len returned to the starting XI after an injury to left-back Kieran Gibbs, while German duo Ozil and Podol- ski were both part of an attacking line-up. However, Arsenal were only able to name six substitutes, with mid- fielder Ryo Miyaichi part of the travelling group following some late withdrawals, but it was later dis- covered he was not eligible for the pre-submitted Champions League squad. Bayern, runaway leaders of the Bundesliga, were looking to avoid a repeat defeat by the English side, who won 2-0 here last season to go out on away goals. There was no place in the side for forward Toni Kroos - a target for Manchester United - or indeed Muller, who had both scored in London. Bayern were soon on the offen- sive, while Arsenal looked to utilise counters through both Santi Cazorla and Ozil, whose early penalty miss in the first leg proved so costly. Schweinsteiger drilled in a 20- yard effort, which was straight at Fabianski, standing in for Wojciech Szczesny, who had been sent off in the last game. On 20 minutes Arsenal were carved open as Alaba darted down the left and fed Ribery, who chipped the ball toward the back post but Robben could not provide a finish. German defender Per Mertesacker then slid in to block a dangerous centre from Alaba, who again had found space down the left channel. Schweinsteiger halted a surging run from Alex Oxlade-Chamber- lain, revelling in a central role, as he charged in from the left towards the penalty arc. Cazorla's free-kick looped off the wall and behind for a corner, from which Giroud tested Neuer with a bullet header. Koscielny, who missed the FA Cup quarter-final win over Everton because of a hamstring problem, hacked away Robben's goalbound effort after more pressure from the hosts. Bayern continued to dominate possession, with midfielder Thiago at the centre of the action. Mario Gotze drilled in a low effort from 20 yards which Fabianski held at the second attempt. Wenger made a change for the start of the second half, as Ozil, who again largely under performed on another big stage, was replaced by Rosicky. Former Chelsea winger Robben - who was fouled by Szczesny which saw the Poland keeper sent off at the Emirates Stadium - took a tumble in the penalty area under a challenge from Cazorla. This time, though, Norway referee Svein Oddvar Moen was not interested and told the Dutchman to get up. Bayern were ahead on 55 minutes when Ribery got away down the left and cut the ball back into the pen- alty area, where Schweinsteiger ar- rived ahead of Cazorla to slot past Fabianski. The Gunners, though, produced a swift response when Podolski shrugged off Bayern captain and Germany team-mate Philipp Lahm on the right side of the penalty area, before darting goalwards and thumping his shot past Neuer at the near post. The away goal galvanised Arsenal, as Oxlade-Chamberlain and Cazor- la continued to see plenty of the ball in the centre. Wenger went for broke as he sent on 18-year-old German Serge Gna- bry, replacing defensive midfielder Mikel Arteta. Bayern, though, weathered the storm and closed in on the quarter- finals. Defeat would have been harsh on Arsenal, but it looked to be heading that way when Koscielny was ad- judged to have pushed over Robben. Substitute Muller stepped up to take the spot-kick, which Fabianski saved with his legs and then scram- bled to push away from the lunging Muller with the ball spinning invit- ingly on the goalline. Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa (R) celebrates with teammate Raul Garcia after scoring a goal against AC Milan during their Champions League last 16 second leg Tonight UEFA Champions League 20:45 Barcelona - Manchester C. 20:45 PSG - Bayer Leverkusen Valletta - Mosta ...............2-2 Sliema W. - Birkirkara ...... 1-3 SATURDAY 15 MARCH 2014 14:00 Qormi - Vittoriosa S. 16:15 Rabat A. - Tarxien R. 14:00 Mosta - Sliema W. 16:00 Balzan - Valletta SUNDAY 16 MARCH 2014 14:00 Floriana - Naxxar L 16:00 Birkirkara - Hibernians