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Barca, Shakhtar cruise into Champions League quarters

Last updated on: March 09, 2011 09:35 IST

Lionel Messi ended 10-man Arsenal's Champions League hopes for the second season in a row when he netted a brilliant goal and a penalty to send Barcelona through to the quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate on Tuesday.

The English club came from a goal down to win last month's first leg in London 2-1 and looked to be heading into the last eight when Sergio Busquets headed into his own goal in the 53rd at a packed and boisterous Nou Camp to make it 1-1 on the night.

However, Robin van Persie was sent off three minutes later for a second yellow card before Xavi struck in the 69th and Messi stroked the ball home from the spot in the 71st after Laurent Koscielny's foul on Pedro.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring his second goal Favourites Barca missed numerous chances to add to their tally with Messi and David Villa denied by substitute goalkeeper Manuel Almunia but still won 3-1 on the night.

Shakhtar Donetsk in last 8 for first time

Shakhtar Donetsk reached quarter-finals for the first time when they humbled AS Roma 3-0 to complete a crushing 6-2 aggregate win on Tuesday.

Roma had gone into the match in buoyant mood under new manager Vincenzo Montella but the game was virtually over when, trailing 1-0, they were reduced to 10 men just before halftime when Philippe Mexes was sent off for a second yellow card.

The Italians were already ruing a missed chance after striker Marco Borriello fluffed a 28th-minute penalty.

The win made Shakhtar the first Ukrainian side to get to the Champions League last eight since Dynamo Kiev who reached the semi-finals in 1999.

"We played much better than they did. Of course, 11 against 10 is easier. They were nervous and made a lot of mistakes and we knew how to control the situation," said Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu.

Czech midfielder Tomas Hubschman set Shakhtar, five-times Ukrainian champions, on the way to victory with a neat back flick from a cross by Willian in the 18th minute after the Italians had dominated in early play.

The 22-year-old Brazilian scored himself after the break, side-stepping David Pizarro and curling a shot in off the post.

Striker Eduardo scored the third in the 87th minute to complete the rout by the side owned by Ukraine's richest man, magnate Rinat Akhmetov.

Borriello, the most dangerous man on the pitch for much of the game, had looked full of confidence as he ran up to take the first-half spot kick but he struck the ball weakly and Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov bundled it round the post.

British referee Howard Webb had no hesitation giving Mexes, Roma's central defender, a second yellow card for a clumsy foul on Luiz Adriano, reducing Roma to 10 men for the second half.

Photograph: Getty Images

Source: REUTERS
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