Robben magic puts Bayern through despite defeat

Arjen Robben's superb strike sent Bayern Munich through to the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals last night despite a 3-2 defeat by Fiorentina in a thrilling last 16 second leg.

The Dutchman found the net from 25-metres with a wind-assisted shot in the 65th minute to make the aggregate score 4-4 after the four-times European champions won the first leg 2-1.

In the other last 16 tie, a hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner helped Arsenal to a 5-0 thumping of Porto as they overturned a first-leg deficit with nonchalant ease to reach the last eight.

Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue were also on target as Arsenal completed a 6-2 aggregate victory to reach the last eight for the third consecutive season.

In Florece, Fiorentina's Juan Manuel Vargas took advantage of a Hans-Joerg Butt fumble for the opener in the 28th minute and Stevan Jovetic made it 2-0 for the hosts in the 54th before the home crowd went on an emotional rollercoaster ride that ended in disappointment.

Mark van Bommel levelled the tie for Bayern in the 60th before Jovetic bagged his second, only for Robben to decide it with his splendid strike almost immediately after.

Fiorentina will rue their back luck from the first leg when a late Miroslav Klose goal scored from an offside position condemned them to defeat.

Ending Bayern's 18-match unbeaten run will be meagre consolation, especially as they are unlikely to qualify for the competition next season after a miserable run of form that has dragged them down into the middle of the Serie A standings.

The hosts, without much missed Romania striker Adrian Mutu after he failed drugs tests and Massimo Gobbi for his red card in the first leg, tried to dictate the pace from the start.

The rain and strong wind made keeping the ball under control difficult but the Italian side went ahead when Marco Marchionni's shot was fumbled by Butt and Peruvian winger Vargas pounced to score.

Bayern were stirred into action and Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey produced a remarkable save to deny Robben six minutes later.

Alberto Gilardino should have extended Fiorentina's lead in the 49th when he blasted straight at Butt with the goal gaping before making amends by laying on Jovetic's first goal with a back-heel.

Van Bommel rifled in from outside the box to level the tie on the hour.

Jovetic on target

Jovetic was on target four minutes later after being set up again by Gilardino but it took just 72 seconds for Robben to reply decisively for the Bundesliga leaders.

Bendtner was guilty of a series of bad misses in the Premier League win over Burnley at the weekend but he answered his critics in style with a commanding performance to crown a dazzling display by manager Arsene Wenger's side.

"It shows how quickly football can change," Wenger told Sky Sports. "I hope it won't give him too much confidence now.

"But it's good for him especially after Saturday. I hope it will give him the desire to work harder."

Porto had never won a European fixture in England before but Arsenal's poor record of overturning first-leg deficits gave the Portuguese side hope of defending their 2-1 advantage.

That hope did not last long on a chilly north London night.

Injured Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, whose midfield playmaking role was filled superbly by Nasri, said in his programme notes he was hoping Bendtner had saved his goals for Porto.

After 10 minutes the Danish striker duly obliged when he slotted the ball into an empty net after keeper Helton had bravely denied Andrei Arshavin who had been released by Nasri.

Arshavin's pace and trickery teed up Bendtner for his second on 25 minutes as Arsenal moved ahead on aggregate.

Porto enjoyed a brief spell of pressure early in the second half but after Falcao failed to convert their best chance of the night, normal service was resumed.

Two goals in four minutes just past the hour killed off the visitors. After 63 minutes Nasri ran at pace into the Porto area and dribbled past three defenders before planting a shot inside the far post.

Then Arshavin carved Porto open and his reverse pass allowed Eboue to skip around Helton and roll the ball into an unguarded net.

Bendtner completed his hat-trick with virtually the last kick of the game, firing a low penalty into the corner after Eboue was brought down.