Arsenal march on to Champions League quarters as Eze magic helps sink Leverkusen

Eberechi Eze opened the scoring for Arsenal in their 2-0 victory over Leverkusen Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

Champions League: Arsenal 2-0 Leverkusen (Arsenal win 3-1 on aggregate) 

Eberechi Eze was one of the more eye-catching of Mikel Arteta’s eight summer signings as he snatched the Crystal Palace man from Tottenham’s grasp with the sole aim of having a player to provide his squad with match-winning magic moments in big matches. And how the former Highbury youth star is now repaying the current Arsenal manager’s faith.

Career-defining performances in north London derby wins against the team he turned down to join Arsenal won over the supporters here, as did his stunning winner in the last round of the FA Cup.

But it was his world-class goal in the first half of this Champions League last 16 tie that fully justified all the hype around the hugely likeable 27-year-old. Any reader yet to see the first half goal should treat themselves to a search for a replay as mere words are unlikely to convey its majesty or significance as Arsenal’s quest for an unprecedented quadruple remained intact.

Declan Rice’s second half effort was not bad either. Boring, boring Arsenal? Winning is never dull and when they play as well as this, who can blame the supporters, players and coaching staff for deserved celebrations.

Arsenal fans already licking their lips at the prospect of a return to Lisbon to play Sporting in next month’s quarter final, as news of their comeback win over Bodo filtered through during the first half were forced to qualify their confidence when they realised how hard this Leverkusen side was to break down.

The only goal the Germans, aiming for the last eight for the first time since they were beaten finalists in 2002, had conceded in their last four Champions League games was Kai Havertz’s penalty from the first leg of this tie, last week. Manager Kasper Hjulmand had them set up to be a defensive wall once again in an attempt to dampen Arteta’s early attack tactics and the home crowd’s early enthusiasm.

Arteta made four changes to his side that beat Everton at the weekend with Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard returning to his attack, but it was the aerial threat of defender Gabriel which was the focal point of their early goalscoring attempts from Bukayo Saka corners.

Another dead ball that looked set up for a Rice cross to the far post ended up in a spectacular save from keeper Janis Blaswich as the Arsenal midfielder fired a surprise snapshot at goal.

Saka, however, was Arsenal’s most dangerous player as the match progressed, showing signs of a timely return to form. Shortly after having a shot well saved, he set up a great chance for Trossard, only for Blaswich to make a phenomenal stop with his feet on the line. The keeper, 34, was having the match of his life with seven saves in the opening half an hour. How costly would Arsenal’s profligacy prove to be?

It would take something special to score and that is a good word to describe the 36th minute world-class finish from Eze. Trossard found the England international a few yards outside the penalty area, with his back to the goal. Eze controlled with his left and turned to shoot first time with his right foot to strike the definition of an unstoppable shot into the top corner of Blaswich’s net. Goal of the season? Maybe, but there has not and will not be a better or more powerful shot.

What a way to score a first ever Champions League goal by the former Palace man.

Sometimes accused of sitting on their leads, Arteta pressed his side to continue attacking and Gyokeres and Trossard both went close to doubling their lead as the match progressed into the second half with Leverkusen hanging on. Eze was also threatening to double his tally.

In the end it took a moment of calm and precision from Rice to squash any comeback threat as he scored with a curling right foot shot from the edge of the area on 63 minutes.

The lead allowed Arteta to make some changes well ahead of the end and with an eye on Sunday’s Wembley League Cup final against Premier League title rivals Manchester City. A late world class save from David Raya will have reminded Arteta who he should start when the first of Arsenal’s four possible trophies goes up for grabs.

ARSENAL: Raya 7, White 7 (Mosquera 69), Saliba 6, Gabriel 7, Hincapie 8, Zubimendi 7 (Norgaard 68), Rice 8, Eze 8 (Havertz 69), Saka 7, Trossard 7 (Martinelli 69), Gyokeres 7 (Lewis-Skelly 90). Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Ranson, Jesus, Madueke, Calafiori, , Dowman.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Blaswich 9; Quansah 6, Andrich 6 (Fernandez 83), Tapsoba 6; Poku 6 (Culbreath 60), Garcia 7, Palacios 6 (Schick 70), Maza 6, Grimaldo 6; Kofane 5, Terrier 6 (Tillman 60). Subs: Omlin, Lomb, Hoffman, Oermann, Tape.

Ref: Danny Makkelie 6 

Att: 59,573