Arsenal were knocked out of the Women’s Champions League semi-finals with a crushing extra-time defeat by two-time winners Wolfsburg at a sold-out Emirates Stadium.
A terrible mistake by defender Lotte Wubben-Moy gifted possession to Wolfsburg with minutes to go and unmarked substitute Pauline Bremer poked in a cross from close range.
In front of a record crowd for a domestic women’s game in England, Arsenal had put the 60,063 fans through an array of emotions but they were left heartbroken after 120 minutes.
Arsenal had taken an early lead through Stina Blackstenius after avoiding a video assistant referee (VAR) scare for a potential handball in the box by Wubben-Moy in the opening minutes.
Wolfsburg then responded as returning captain Alexandra Popp – ruled out of the first leg with a calf injury – set up Jill Roord to make it 1-1 on the night, and later headed the visitors in front.
A Blackstenius close-range finish was ruled out by VAR shortly into the second half but Arsenal’s Jen Beattie restored hope, heading in a corner with 15 minutes of normal time remaining to level the tie.
As extra time arrived, anxiety grew inside the Emirates, and though Arsenal looked more threatening they could not find a late goal and Bremer punished Wubben-Moy’s mistake.
Wolfsburg will now take on Barcelona for the trophy on 3 June in Eindhoven, after last year’s runners-up beat Chelsea in the other semi-final.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Arsenal Women
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Zinsberger
- 3Wubben-Moy
- 5BeattieBooked at 52minsSubstituted forAgyemangat 119′minutes
- 2Carvalho Souza
- 16MaritzBooked at 41minsSubstituted forWienroitherat 64′minutesSubstituted forKühlat 82′minutes
- 12Maanum
- 13Wälti
- 7CatleyBooked at 117mins
- 21PelovaBooked at 120mins
- 15McCabe
- 25BlacksteniusSubstituted forHurtigat 64′minutes
Substitutes
- 14D’Angelo
- 17Hurtig
- 18Marckese
- 22Kühl
- 26Wienroither
- 29Goldie
- 59Agyemang
- 60Harbert
- 62Reid
VfL Wolfsburg Ladies
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Frohms
- 2WilmsSubstituted forHegeringat 105′minutes
- 4Hendrich
- 6Janssen
- 13RauchBooked at 114mins
- 5Oberdorf
- 14RoordSubstituted forBlomqvistat 120+3′minutes
- 10HuthBooked at 50minsSubstituted forBremerat 90′minutes
- 11Popp
- 23JónsdóttirSubstituted forBrandat 101′minutes
- 9PajorSubstituted forWaßmuthat 78′minutesBooked at 105mins
Substitutes
- 3Agrez
- 7Bremer
- 12Kassen
- 17Demann
- 20Wolter
- 21Blomqvist
- 24Wedemeyer
- 28Waßmuth
- 29Brand
- 30Weiß
- 31Hegering
- Referee:
- Lina Lehtovaara
- Attendance:
- 60,063
