May 2 – Wolfsburg’s Pauline Bremer scored an extra-time winner to send her club to the final of the Women’s Champions League and break Arsenal’s hearts in front of an English record crowd for a women’s club game of 60,063. Wolfsburg now face Barcelona in the final.
In a thrilling semi-final, nothing could separate the London club and the German powerhouse but after almost 240 minutes of battle, it was a mistake by defender Lotte Wubben-Moy that cost Arsenal dearly.
Wolfsburg pounced and unmarked substitute Bremer was on hand to tap in a cross from close range and silence the sold-out Emirates Stadium.
Wolfsburg go through to the final in Eindhoven on June 3, looking to win their third UEFA Champions League title, having won in 2013 and 2014.
Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall called it a defeat by the “tiniest of margins”.
In the 11th minute, Arsenal had drawn first blood with an excellent Stina Blackstenius goal. Wolfsburg’s Jill Rooord equalised before Wolfsburg skipper Alexandra Popp gave the visitors the lead, but with 15 minutes left the hosts drew level through a header from Jen Beattie.
In a nerve-racking extra-time, Bremer ensured Wolfsburg’s 5-4 win on aggregate with her 119th minute goal.
“I told her (Wubben-Moy) to keep her head high,” said Arsenal coach Eidevall. “I told her there’s no need to apologise.
“Mistakes happen in football. We win as a team, we lose as a team. We’re there for each other. We learn. It’s inevitable that it happens in football. They also made mistakes and we were close to profiting from that. It’s part of the game. She was absolutely fantastic. We are there for each other both when we have success and when there’s pain.”
Arsenal’s defeat means that both English challengers were eliminated in the semi-finals. Chelsea lost 2-1 on aggregate against FC Barcelona. No English club has won the competition. In 2006, Arsenal won the Women’s Cup, the precursor of the Champions League. Two years ago, Chelsea reached the final but were battered 4-0 by FC Barcelona. In 2022 Barca lost in the final 3-1 to Lyon.
The Spanish giants will be favourites again against Wolfsburg going into June’s final in the Netherlands.
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