CSKA Moscow 2-2 Arsenal (agg: 3-6): Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey fire nervy Gunners into semi-finals after Fyodor Chalov and Kirill Nababkin had Russians on the brink of heroic comeback
- Fyodor Chalov tucked home a rebound for the opener after Petr Cech had saved Kirill Nababkin's effort
- Nababkin doubled CSKA Moscow's lead in the 50th minute after tucking home another Cech rebound
- Mohamed Elneny thought he'd made it 2-1 to Arsenal but the midfielder's effort was ruled out for offside
- Danny Welbeck smashed home in the 75th minute to Arsenal's relief after playing a one-two with Elneny
- Aaron Ramsey made the game safe in added time when he latched on to Elneny's through ball and finished
- AS IT HAPPENED: Sportsmail's TOM FARMERY covered the Europa League quarter-final second leg live
Make no mistake, Arsenal were rattled to their very core. What should have been a routine night turned into a entirely unnecessary evening of nerve-jangling trauma for Arsene Wenger.
In the end, they secured their spot in today's Europa League semi-final draw. But my word; they were handed an almighty fright.
Trailing 4-1 from the first-leg; CSKA stormed into a 2-0 lead to move to within one goal of completing a stunning comeback.
Aaron Ramsey celebrates his injury-time strike with Danny Welbeck as Arsenal survived an almighty scare in Moscow
Welbeck celebrates his goal 15 minutes from time which saved Arsenal's blushes and killed off CSKA Moscow's hopes
CSKA's players celebrate their second of the night as Arsenal midfielder Ramsey looks down to the ground in disbelief
Fyodor Chalov celebrates his strike which hauled CSKA Moscow back into the tie in the 38th minute at the VEB Stadiu
MATCH STATS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
CSKA (3-5-2): Akinfeev 6; V. Berezutski 6, A Berezutski 6, Ignashevich 6; Nababkin 7, Golovin 7.5, Bistrovic 6.5 (Natcho 71, 6), Dzagoev 5 (Vitinho 37, 6), Kuchaev 7; Chalov 7 (Milanov 78), Musa 6.5.
Subs not used: Pomazun, Schennikov, Zhamaletdinov, Khosnov.
Bookings: Golovin
Scorers: Chalov 39, Nababkin 50
Manager: Goncharenko: 7
ARSENAL (4-3-2-1): Cech 5.5; Bellerin 5.5, Mustafi 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 5.5; Ramsey 5.5, Elneny 6.5, Wilshere 5.5 (Chambers 69, 6); Welbeck 7, Ozil 6; Lacazette 5.5 (Iwobi 77).
Subs not used: Macey, Mertesacker, Holding, Kolasinac, Nketiah.
Scorers: Welbeck 75, Ramsey 90
Manager: Wenger: 5.5
Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER): 6
Man of the Match: Golovin
Fyodor Chalov scored the opening goal for CSKA Moscow after pouncing on a rebound. For more, visit Sportsmail's MATCH ZONE
Travelling Arsenal supporters were welcomed to the VEB Arena with fur hats ahead of the Europa League quarter-final tie
Arsene Wenger named his strongest possible XI for the clash with the Europa League now Arsenal's priority this campaign
Russian left back Kirill Nababkin controls under pressure from Welbeck during the opening stages on Thursday night
Aleksandr Golovin, scorer of a free-kick in the first leg and another in the second, tries to get the better of Nacho Monreal
The Russians were brave and exuberant. Arsenal were feeble and lacklustre. Here in Moscow, Wenger got away with one. Big time.
‘They made my heart beat much quicker than I wanted it to be but we played against a good team and they showed that tonight and gave they us many problems,’ admitted Wenger.
‘If you look at the game we were in trouble. But after the first game it was difficult to return with the same urgency for us.’
In the light of Roma’s miraculous comeback against Barcelona on Tuesday, Wenger warned his players of the perils of complacency ahead of Thursday night’s clash.
They obviously didn't heed his advice.
Ramsey goes through on goal but can't get his effort on target as Arsenal struggled to break down their Russian opponents
Alexandre Lacazette attempts to nip in and dispossess CSKA's veteran defender Aleksei Beretzutski during the second leg
A supporter holds up a 'Wenger Out' banner at the VEB Stadium as the anti-manager sentiment makes it to the Russian capital
Mesut Ozil looks to scamper away from Nababkin (left) and Vasili Beretzutski (right) as the German seeks to create something
CSKA boss Viktor Goncharenko grew frustrated over the delay in Alan Dzagoev's substitution after the midfielder's injury
Ramsey is taken off on a stretcher during the closing stages of the opening period but would later return to the action
Much like last week’s first-leg, CSKA were impressive to a point during the first 30 minutes. That point being the final ball. Pass after pass was intercepted by Arsenal’s back-four.
You began to get the impression that CSKA’s valiant efforts would be in vain; for all their positive play they weren’t laying a glove on the Gunners.
But then, out of the blue, the team in blue had Arsenal on the ropes.
Petr Cech did well to stop Kirill Nababkin’s downward header from Konstantin Kuchaev’s cross, but the goalkeeper was helpless to prevent Fedor Chalov from tapping home the rebound in the 39th minute.
Arsenal had won six on the spin before their trip to Moscow. You wouldn’t have known it by their lifeless first-half showing.
Ramsey's midfield partner Jack Wilshere is floored after sustaining an injury during the Europa League quarter-final clash
Chalov (second right) sets himself before scoring CSKA's opener by reacting first to the rebound from Petr Cech's low save
CSKA supporters grew in belief after seeing their side go 1-0 up on the night and go within two goals of winning the tie
Lacazette struggled to make an impact as the Frenchman was unable to leave his mark on the quarter-final second leg match
Nababkin rifled home to put CSKA within just one goal of an incredible comeback in a match that began at 10pm local time
Nababkin roars with delight as Cech is left in a heap after failing to keep out the Russian's strike for CSKA's second
Ahmed Musa collects the ball from Cech's net after Nababkin had fired home the rebound from Golovin's effort on goal
Ramsey looks dejected as Nababkin's team-mates congratulate the midfielder on his 50th-minute goal which made it 2-0
It could have been even worse for Arsenal before the break, Bistrovic smashed a long-ranger narrowly wide while CSKA had two half-hearted penalty appeals turned down by referee Felix Zwayer.
Arsenal, of course, still had a two goal cushion. But they knew what was coming in the second half.
And sure enough it arrived in the 50th minute as Nababkin fired home from close range after Cech’s misjudged parry from Aleksandr Golovin’s cross.
Cech made up for his error moments later, executing an excellent stop to deny Golovin’s free-kick.
Arsenal were there for the taking, Wenger’s decision to bring on defender Calum Chambers for Jack Wilshere told you all you needed to know.
But Welbeck broke Russian hearts in the 75th minute firing home to ensure Arsenal’s semi-final spot before Ramsey levelled on the night in injury time.
Mohamed Elneny thought he'd scored for the away side but the Egyptian's effort was correctly disallowed for offside
Wilshere tries in vain to create something as Arsenal failed to muster much in the way of clear-cut opportunities on Thursday
Cech is at full stretch to his left to deny CSKA another goal as they went in search of a famous comeback against the Gunners
Welbeck rifled home after playing a one-two with Elneny to spare the Gunners' blushes by making it 2-1 in the 75th minute
The England international celebrates his third goal in two games as the striker hit form at the right time for Wenger's side
Alex Iwobi reacts by holding his head in his hands after missing a brilliant opportunity to draw level on the night
Ramsey scored in added time to make it 2-2 on the night and 6-3 on aggregate as they sealed their spot in the semi-finals
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5609543/CSKA-Moscow-2-2-Arsenal-agg-3-6-Match-report.html#ixzz5CVcP5rjW
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