Four-goal AC Milan sweep Arsenal away; Zenit edge Benfica

By Barry Whelan Feb 15, 2012, 21:41 GMT

Berlin - Brazilian striker Robinho scored twice as AC Milan took a huge stride towards the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 4-0 rout of Arsenal Tuesday.

Milan recovered from an early injury loss to captain Clarence Seedorf to sweep aside the Premier League side who barely created a chance and defended badly at the San Siro.

In the evening's other first-leg tie, Roman Shirokov scored twice as Zenit St Petersburg beat Benfica 3-2.

Milan outclassed a poor Arsenal side who had a shocking night on a difficult surface and were fortunate not to concede even more as they slid to their heaviest defeat in any European competition.

Kevin-Prince Boateng struck a superb opener in the 15th minute, and goals followed from Robinho in the 38th and 49th minutes and Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a 79th-minute penalty.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said: 'My only regret is that we created a couple of good chances towards the end and didn't exploit them to extend the score.

'I'm happy, of course, but If we managed to score also a fifth it would have been even better.

'Arsenal have a lot of quality both as a team and in their players and if they didn't show their class tonight all the credit goes to Milan.'

Seedorf was forced off after just 12 minutes, but Milan quickly put the loss of their captain behind them when Boateng stunned the visitors, taking a pass on his chest from Antonio Nocerino before blasting the ball from an angle in off the underside of the bar.

With Arsenal giving the ball away and looking increasingly shaky at the back, it was no surprise when Milan increased their lead when Ibrahimovic found room down the left to cross for Robinho to dart in with a header into the back of the net.

The Serie A leaders could have made it three when Ibrahimovic found Boateng in space, but this time the Ghana midfielder fired wide.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reacted at half-time by bringing on Thierry Henry for Theo Walcott in the 34-year-old striker's last appearance on loan before returning to New York Red Bulls.

But before Henry could have any influence on the game, Ibrahimovic fed Robinho on the edge of the area and, after Thomas Vermaelen slipped, the striker was able to shoot inside Wojciech Szczesny's right-hand post.

Arsenal finally created a chance in the 66th minute when Henry back-heeled to Robin van Persie, whose shot was turned round the post by keeper Christian Abbiati.

Any hopes though of rescuing anything from the game were dashed when Ibrahimovic converted from the spot after he had been brought down by substitute Johan Djourou.

'We didn't have the best of games but we have to give credit to Milan who punished us on every goal,' Szczesny said.

'They were the better team on the day. They are the best attacking players in the world and playing against Ibrahimovic, he's up there as one of the best strikers I've played against. We have to keep fighting and get our confidence back now.'

In St Petersburg, Shirokov hit the winner for Zenit two minutes from time just after Benfica had equalized through Rudolfo Cardozo, who benefited from a mistake by keeper Yury Zhevnov.

Zenit, the 2008 UEFA Cup winners, who are playing in the knock-out stage of the Champions League for the first time, went behind in the 20th minute through Maxi Pereira.

But Shirokov levelled seven minutes later and Zenit went in front in the 71st with a back-heel from Sergey Semak.

Benfica thought they had come away with at least a draw when keeper Zhevnov failed to hold a shot by Nicolas Gaitan and then parried the ball straight to Cardoza who had little trouble scoring.

But almost immediately Shirokov took advantage of Maxi Pereira's poor touch in front of his own goal to strike an angled winner.

The two second-leg ties take place on March 6. The round of 16 continues with first-leg ties next Tuesday and Wednesday.