Arsenal rallied in the second half to beat Spanish giant Barcelona 2-1 in a thrilling first-leg match in the last 16 of the Champions League and three Brazilians scored for Shakhtar Donetsk in its 3-2 victory in Roma.
Russia captain Andrey Arshavin came off the bench and capped a flowing length-of-the-field move with the winner for Arsenal in the 83rd minute of a gripping game at Emirates Stadium.
Netherlands forward Robin van Persie's 78th-minute volley had canceled out David Villa's first-half opener for Barcelona, which will still be held by many as the favorite ahead of the second leg on March 8.
"The game promised a lot and it fulfilled that expectation," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It was a special night. We kept resilient and strong. I am very proud of my team."
Shakhtar trio Jadson, Douglas Costa and Luiz Adriano scored in the space of 13 minutes at the end of the first half to cancel out Simone Perotta's opener for Roma in the Italian capital.
France forward Jeremy Menez's second-half goal gave Roma some hope but it was another disappointing Champions League night for Italy, with Serie A leader AC Milan losing 1-0 to Tottenham at the San Siro on Tuesday.
"We are a good team and we played well," Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said.
The Arsenal-Barcelona match, featuring two of the most pleasing-on-the-eye teams in European football, lived up to its pre-game billing.
Just like last season's quarterfinal first leg between the two sides at the Emirates, which finished 2-2, the Spanish champions grabbed a precious away goal and were a class above the hosts in the first half. The passing of midfield triumvirate of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets was often sublime.
But the match turned after Villa was substituted in the 68th and Arsenal's two late goals puts it in the driving seat to make the quarterfinals.
"They are the best side in football's history, in my opinion," said Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. "It's a nice victory but that's all. If we show it here and not in the Camp Nou, it is nothing for us."
Villa put Barcelona ahead when he beat the offside trap running onto Argentina star Lionel Messi's through-ball before calmly stroking his finish between the legs of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Messi had a goal disallowed for offside in the 38th and missed a sitter when one on one with Szczesny in the 15th. Further chances came and went for Pedro and Villa.
Young England midfielder Jack Wilshere, Arsenal's best player on the night, drove the team forward in the second half and Pep Guardiola's decision to take Villa off for Seydou Keita - indicating the Barca coach was happy with a 1-0 win - proved to be a turning point.
Van Persie ran onto Gael Clichy's pass and beat Valdes at his near post with a fierce volley, with the goalkeeper seemingly expecting a cross. Arshavin completed the comeback by finishing off a team move involving Wilshere, Fabregas and Samir Nasri, curling a finish home from 20 yards past the unsighted Valdes.
"I think we more or less controlled the game and we just need to create the chances we did tonight in the Camp Nou and then take them," Guardiola said. "Yes we have lost but we still have the second leg."
Center back Gerard Pique picked up a booking for Barcelona, meaning he will miss the return leg.
Shakhtar, currently in the middle of a three-month winter break, hadn't played a competitive match since Dec. 8 but it didn't show against a Roma side which is struggling in eighth place in the Italian league after two straight defeats.
The hosts went in front when Perotta headed home from close range a deep cross by Rodrigo Taddei, yet that only served to spark Shakhtar into life.
Less than 60 seconds later, the Ukrainian side was level, Brazil midfielder Jadson's 25-yard shot from a central position taking a couple of deflections before finding its way past Alexander Doni.
Shakhtar's second was much more pleasing on the eye, Douglas Costa picking the ball up on the right flank, cutting inside and curling a superb shot into the corner from outside the area.
Comical defending led to the third in the 41st. John Arne Riise lost his footing to allow Costa to race through and his low ball across the box was sidefooted in by Luiz Adriano.
Menez's 20-yarder reduced the deficit in the 61st but Shakhtar has a major advantage going into the return match.
"We weren't favorite going into the first leg and we certainly aren't the favorite going into the second," Ranieri said.
