Arsenal's rocky Champions League adventure ended in Spain on the technicality of the away goals rule after Valencia's Norwegian striker John Carew thumped home a header 16 minutes from time.

The Gunners made a useful fist of hanging onto a slender advantage gained by a two-goal burst from a goal down at Highbury in the quarter final first leg two weeks ago, but their fate was once again sealed by a bad away result.

And the goal that beat them, scored by a man whom Arsene Wenger once considered signing, was one they would never expect to concede.

When veteran Jocelyn Angloma crossed from the right it looked the traditional meat and drink for Arsenal skipper Tony Adam.

But the old trooper who rarely put a foot wrong all night, was caught out this time and Carew rose unopposed to despatch only his second goal in the Champions League campaign, his power and placement just too much for David Seaman's stretching fingers.

So the hoped-for all-English semi final between Arsenal and Leeds just won't materialise now.

Valencia now take on Leeds while Arsenal must train their sights on the FA Cup final and an increasingly tight battle to keep second place in the Premiership to qualify among Europe's elite again next season.

For more than three quarters of the match Arsenal had dug in resolutely in defence of their slender first-leg lead and gradually found the confidence to play flowing, confident football without really threatening the Valencia goal.

But the much-vaunted Estadi Mestalla's intimidating hostility seemed a myth until the Spanish side finally got their noses in front on the night.

That Carew was the scorer with a thumping, perfectly placed header after Angloma angled the ball from the right over Adams, was a complete irony as the big Norwegian had looked little more than a carthorse for most of the night.

He missed a glaring opportunity in the 16th minute when bursting through a malfunctioning offside trap, drilling wide from 12 yards.

And after midfielder Vicente, another lost Arsenal transfer target in the summer, set him up perfectly eight minutes later the striker's mis-hit gave Seaman the chance to get down and claw the goal-bound ball away for a corner.

Having survived those scares there seemed no particular reason why the Gunners should not at least hold out for the goalless scoreline that would have given them a semi final place.

Lauren and Patrick Vieira worked slavishly in midfield and Keown, despite an early booking that disqualifies him from the next Euro tie, and Adams, stuck at it manfully at the back.

And none could quite match the stylish display of 20-year old England left back Ashley Cole, a player mature beyond his years, efficient in defence and a potent threat going forward when he linked with Thierry Henry and the hard-working Robert Pires.

The Gunners rarely threatened in attack, though, with Henry missing their best chance when firing into the side-netting on the end of Sylvain Wiltord's cleverly-angled pass in the 61st minute.

But it could have been a different outcome had referee Kim Nielsen given a good-looking penalty claim just seconds into the second half when Fredrik Ljungberg, on as a half time substitute for Ray Parlour, went tumbling over Amedeo Carboni's rash challenge from another set up by Wiltord.

To be fair, though, Valencia could have had a spotkick of their own when Keown floored the elusive Gaizka Mendieta in the 66th minute.

But Carew's headwork finally proved decisive and Arsenal had to reflect on the fact that they have travelled badly this season in Europe, winning only twice.

At least it was not quite the injustice of Valencia beating them on penalties after being outplayed as happened 21 years ago in the final of the old Cup Winners' Cup - but bad enough.

Teams

Valencia Canizares, Angloma, Pellegrino, Ayala (Djukic 50), Carboni, Mendieta, Vicente, Baraja, Angulo (Aimar 67), Sanchez (Zahovic 72), Carew.

Subs Not Used: Palop, Alonso, Albelda, Aurelio.

Booked: Angulo, Mendieta.

Goals: Carew 75.

Arsenal Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Cole, Lauren, Parlour (Ljungberg 46), Vieira, Pires (Kanu 77), Henry, Wiltord.

Subs Not Used: Manninger, Grimandi, Upson, Luzhny, Vivas.

Booked: Keown, Parlour. Agg (2-2) Valencia win on away goal rule

Att: 47,700

Ref: Kim Nielsen (Denmark).