Eze stunner helps seal Arsenal progression
Eberechi Eze's stunner helped Arsenal seal a 3-1 aggregate win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16, with the Gunners triumphing 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
Declan Rice added an impressive goal of his own in the second half after Eze's opener, while both goalkeepers made brilliant saves at either end as Arsenal booked their spot in the quarter-finals, where it will face Sporting CP.
Janis Blaswich was busy in the opening 45 minutes, first pushing away a powerful effort from Leandro Trossard before denying Bukayo Saka's near-post strike from the right side of the box.
The Leverkusen goalkeeper made an incredible save with his right leg to stop Trossard's effort in the box, but Blaswich could do nothing about Eze's thunderous volley from distance in the 36th minute.
Trossard continued to threaten after the break, curling narrowly wide of the top-right corner from close to 25 yards out, though Rice eased any remaining nerves in north London as he intercepted a poor clearance before firing in from the edge of the box.
Leverkusen did not give up and Christian Kofane forced a strong save from David Raya in the closing minutes, but the Gunners held on to their clean sheet and victory to secure progression into the next round.
