Eze stunner helps Arsenal past Leverkusen into last eight

LONDON, March 17 : Arsenal's Eberechi Eze opened his Champions League account with a stunning goal as his team outclassed Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 at home to reach the quarter-finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory on Tuesday.

Leverkusen somehow weathered a barrage of Arsenal pressure in the opening half an hour with keeper Janis Blaswich outstanding until Eze's thunderbolt from outside the area in the 37th minute put them in control of an awkward last-16 tie.

The tireless Declan Rice made it 2-0 just past the hour mark with a precise low finish and Leverkusen, who ended Arsenal's 100 per cent record in this season's competition when they had the better of a 1-1 draw in last week's first leg, never really threatened a comeback.

Premier League leaders Arsenal have been criticised for their efficient rather than flamboyant style at times this season, but they were hugely impressive as they swept into the last eight where they will face Portuguese side Sporting.

"I don't know if I could dream of scoring a goal like that," 60 million pounds summer signing Eze, who had failed to score in his first eight Champions League appearances, said.

"It's a special goal, for sure I'm going to remember it for a long time, hopefully it's the first of many in the Champions League for me. I could be watching this one for a long time."

WHIFF OF SILVERWARE

The spring days are warming up in north London and the whiff of silverware is in the air as relentless Arsenal's outstanding season comes to the boil.

Manager Mikel Arteta's main preoccupation has been the Premier League title race, which his side now lead by nine points as they seek a first English crown since 2004.

But should they win Sunday's League Cup final against Manchester City at