Declan Rice lauds 'frightening' Eberechi Eze after first UEFA Champions League goal for Arsenal against Bayer Leverkusen

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Eberechi Eze saved his first UEFA Champions League goal for a special moment as his rocket put Arsenal ahead in their last 16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen for the first time. The Gunners went on to advance following a 2-0 win and Declan Rice, who scored Arsenal's second with a phenomenal effort of his own, could not speak highly enough of his team-mate while Mikel Arteta had a few words too.

Highlights: Eze and Rice beauties see Arsenal into quarters

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Eberechi Eze scored a wonder goal as Arsenal booked their spot in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and Declan Rice was not too surprised by his team-mate's effort.

Following his £67.5 million move to Arsenal in the summer, Eze saved his first Champions League goal for a crucial moment as he put The Gunners ahead against Bayer Leverkusen for the first time in the tie.

And he did it in incredible style, picking up the ball on the half-turn - roughly 25 yards from goal - before sending a thunderbolt of a volley beyond Janis Blaswich, who had looked unbeatable until that moment, and into the top corner.

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"He’s got one of the best shots I’ve seen, left foot and right foot," Rice told TNT Sports of his England team-mate after the game.

"We need to keep getting him in those areas because, honestly, he’s frightening. Around the edge of the box, left foot and right foot, there are not many players I’ve seen hit the ball better than him.

"We need to keep giving him the ball around the edge because he can make things happen."

Mikel Arteta knew that Eze had it in his locker, but was pleased with the way his players, including Rice, took their goals.

"When you talk about technique, when you talk about making contact with the ball in that manner. And you just see the reaction of all the players around…that’s why he’s here," he said of Eze's strike.

"You get worried because when you have four or five chances in the manner that we had [in the early stages] and you don’t put the ball in the back of the net, everything is possible.

"But again, another incredible moment [Rice's goal in the second half] and you win the game."

Eze SCREAMER puts Arsenal ahead

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'I don’t know if I could dream of scoring a goal like that'

Eze scored a similar goal against Mansfield in the Emirates FA Cup fifth round, smashing the ball into the top corner to seal Arsenal's place in the quarter-final as their hunt for an unprecedented quadruple goes on.

But his strike against Leverkusen was a different level.

"I don’t know if I could dream of scoring a goal like that," he told TNT Sports.

"It was a good goal, I just saw the opportunity to shoot and thank you to God that’s worked today. It’s a special goal for sure, I’m going to remember it for a long time and hopefully it’s the first of many in the Champions League for me.

"I’m going to be watching this one for a long time to be fair. [Leverkusen are] a difficult team to face, we saw that when we went there, and we knew it would take a moment like this to put the game in our favour."

Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners in the end and progressed to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

They will face Sporting for a place in the semi-finals for a second season running after the Portuguese outfit overcame a three-goal home leg deficit against Bodo/Glimt to advance 5-3.

'He's frightening' - Rice lauds Eze quality after wonder goal

Video credit: TNT Sports

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