Europa League quarter-final draw boost for Arsenal as Dortmund and Lyon are knocked out

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Standard Sport16 March 2018

Arsenal were handed a boost ahead of Friday's Europa League quarter-final draw as Borussia Dortmund and Lyon were both knocked out of the competition.

AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Lyon all exited the Europa League at the last-16 stage on a night when tournament favourites Atletico Madrid scored five in Russia.

Milan failed to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit to Arsenal, despite going ahead in London through Hakan Calhanoglu.

Danny Welbeck celebrated his England call-up with two goals, one a penalty he controversially won, and Granit Xhaka also scored to earn the Gunners a 3-1 victory.

Dortmund drew 0-0 with Red Bull Salzburg, so the Austrian side's 2-1 victory in Germany was enough for them to advance, with Lyon losing 3-2 to CSKA Moscow at home and exiting on away goals.

Fernando Torres scored twice as Atletico showed why they are so fancied to win the competition by hammering Lokomotiv Moscow 5-1.

Atleti already held a 3-0 advantage from the first leg and Angel Correa's rifled finish in the 16th minute gave them an early away goal too.

The hosts swiftly struck back through Maciej Rybus' brilliant effort from range but Diego Simeone's side would score four times after the break to progress 8-1 on aggregate.

Saul Niguez restored their lead on the night less than two minutes into the second half, with ex-Liverpool and Chelsea striker Torres adding two further goals, the first a penalty, before substitute Antoine Griezmann deliciously lifted a fifth into the far corner.

The only concerning incident for Simeone came in the second half when Filipe Luis had to be taken off on a stretcher having been injured making a fine last-ditch challenge.

One of Torres' former Liverpool colleagues Lucas was also on target in a 2-0 victory for Lazio that saw them progress at the expense of Dynamo Kiev.

The Serie A club had drawn 2-2 in the first leg but Lucas gave them the advantage when he headed home from a first-half corner.

Holland international Stefan de Vrij added a second late on to give Lazio a 4-2 aggregate victory.

RB Leipzig knocked out Roberto Mancini's Zenit St Petersburg following a 1-1 draw in Russia.

Leipzig, who won the opening meeting 2-1, went ahead through Jean-Kevin Augustin only for Zenit to level through Sebastian Driussi's back-post volley.

Yet the Germans would advance, despite Timo Werner having an 81st-minute penalty saved.

Dimitri Payet scored a penalty for Marseille as they eliminated Athletic Bilbao with a 5-2 aggregate success.

Having triumphed 3-1 in the first leg, goals from Payet and Lucas Ocampos enhanced OM's overall lead.

Inaki Williams pulled one back but any hopes of a Bilbao revival were extinguished with Aritz Aduriz's red card.

Sporting Lisbon needed an extra-time goal from Rodrigo Battaglia to overcome Viktoria Plzen.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Marek Bakos' double drew the Czech club level.

Sporting's Bas Dost then had a stoppage-time penalty saved, ensuring the game went to extra time, where Battaglia's 105th-minute header proved the difference.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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