Monaco beats Arsenal 3-1; Leverkusen tops Atletico 1-0

Posted February 24, 2015 10:00 pm

By ROB HARRIS

Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Arsenal and AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) - With a surprising 3-1 win over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, Monaco moved into prime position to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in 11 years.

Geoffrey Kondogbia scored in the 38th minute, Dimitar Berbatov doubled the lead in the 53rd and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco added a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time for a 3-1 win Wednesday night in the first leg of the second round.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's curling goal in the first minute of stoppage time briefly gave Arsenal hope going into the second leg on March 17, but he then gave the ball away inside his own half, and Monaco went on another rapid break.

"The second and third goals we were suicidal," Arsenal manager Wenger said after the game against his former team. "It looks like we have lost our nerves and our rationality on the pitch."

In the night's other game, Hakan Calhanoglu scored in the 57th minute to give Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 home win over Atletico Madrid, which finished a man short after Tiago received his second yellow card in the 77th minute.

Monaco is the lowest-ranked team in the final 16 of Europe's top club competiton.

"We able to nullify their threat and we were very organized," Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim said through a translator. "We are also able to attack with a lot of quality. No one really thought this result would have been possible, but we achieved it."

Kondogbia's shot deflected off Per Mertesacker and wrong-footed goalkeeper David Ospina. Berbatov had a big night in his return to London, where he played for Tottenham and Fulham.

"We wanted to win more than them and were fighting all over the pitch," said Berbatov, who hadn't scored in a month.

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Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud touches his head during the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Arsenal and AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) The Associated Press

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, left, challenges Monaco's Wallace during the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Arsenal and AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) The Associated Press

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