BBC SPORT | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | Valencia oust Arsenal

Valencia 1-0 Arsenal
(Aggregate 2-2 - Valencia win on away goals)

Arsenal suffered heartbreak in Spain as Valencia sent them crashing out of the Champions League quarter-final on away goals.

John Carew's late header wrecked Arsene Wenger's dream of taking Arsenal into an all-English semi-final against Leeds United.

Arsenal produced a defence display of typical high discipline - but were once again undermined by their failure to score on foreign soil.

And they paid a heavy price with only 15 minutes left as the giant Norwegian Carew rose to score the crucial goal.

Wenger must now turn his attentions to securing a Champions League place via the Premiership next season - and the FA Cup Final against Liverpool in Cardiff next month.

Pires beats Angloma

But it was a cruel night for Arsenal, who subdued a gifted Valencia side who are attempting to reach the Champions League final for the second successive season.

Roberto Ayala's goal at Highbury ultimately proved crucial, but it was a bitter bill for Arsenal to swallow after a determined display.

Valencia subjected Arsenal to predictable early pressure, and Martin Keown was booked for a foul on the dangerous Juan Sanchez.

Carew was his usual mixture of magic and mediocrity - letting Arsenal off the hook with a wild shot wide after 16 minutes with only David Seaman to beat.

He was on target from close range eight minutes later, but Seaman produced a brilliant save diving to his right after initially looking wrong-footed.

Arsenal's vastly-experienced defenders were keeping the gifted Valencia side at arm's length after a rocky early spell.

We should still be in this competition because they had hardly any shots on goal and we controlled the second half

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

And as the first half progressed Arsenal grew in composure and confidence to enjoy a greater share of possession and territory.

Sylvain Wiltord gave Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Canizares his first test after 32 minutes, forcing a diving save from 20 yards

Wenger was forced to make a change at half time, replacing Ray Parlour with Freddie Ljungberg.

And the Swede was swiftly into the action, outpacing Amedeo Carboni, who looked to have fouled Ljungberg, but Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen was unmoved.

Valencia suffered an injury blow of their own after 48 minutes when Argentinian World Cup defender Ayala was stretchered off with a hamstring injury.

Patrick Vieira was a growing influence, but his France team-mate Thierry Henry was guilty of wasting Arsenal's best chance of the night after 56 minutes when he escaped the Valencia defence but shot wildly into the side-netting.

Valencia had huge appeals for a penalty rejected by Nielsen after 65 minutes when Gaizka Mendieta tumbled under challenge from Keown.

Henry wasted another opportunity to rub salt in Valencia's wounds when his pace proved too much once more, but again the final flourish was missing.

Arsene Wenger

Wenger left disappointed

Arsenal paid the price with 15 minutes left when the huge figure of Carew made amends for his earlier misses to Valencia ahead.

Jocelyn Angloma was the creator with a cross from the right and Carew rose majestically above the Arsenal defence to head home via Seaman's right hand.

It was enough to send Valencia through - and give Arsenal another night of desperate Champions League disappointment.

Valencia: Canizares, Angloma, Pellegrino, Ayala, Carboni, Mendieta, Vicente, Baraja, Angulo, Sanchez, Carew. Subs: Palop, Djukic, Zahovic, Alonso, Albelda, Aurelio, Aimar.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Cole, Lauren, Parlour, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Wiltord. Subs: Manninger, Ljungberg, Grimandi, Matthew Upson, Luzhny, Vivas, Kanu.

Referee: Kim Nielsen (Denmark)


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