2 months ago
Holders Arsenal return a two-goal lead into nan 2nd limb of their Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea adjacent week aft a 3-1 triumph astatine nan Emirates Stadium, pinch nan value of nan goals, 2 disallowed Chelsea goals and nan Blues’ wounded woes nan talking points.
A Stina Blackstenius header and Chloe Kelly long-range effort made it 2-0 aft nan visitors had doubly deed nan station earlier Veerle Buurman’s header was ruled retired for a very soft foul connected Laia Codina, but Lauren James was connected manus to trim nan separator successful style, curling successful from extracurricular nan box. Alessia Russo restored nan Gunners’ cushion but location was play astatine nan close, erstwhile Kadeisha Buchanan’s extremity was ruled retired aft she ploughed her ft into Anneke Borbe arsenic she put nan shot complete nan line.
The buildup had centred astir nan dependable depletion of Chelsea’s squad. Sonia Bompastor had only 8 outfield players successful their unfastened training convention earlier this first leg, pinch respective players pursuing individualised programmes to effort and fresh them for nan encounter.
By kick-off nan Blues’ starting XI was strong, but their chair lacking, pinch 4 teenagers (Gabriella Storey, 16, Chloe Sarwie, 17, Lois Shooter, 18 and Lexi Potter, 19) and Ellie Carpenter, caller disconnected a formation backmost from Australia aft nan Asia Cup last sitting alongside Wieke Kaptein and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
In this context, Chelsea’s 2 dropped points against London City Lionesses connected Saturday was not a shock, and their ascendant League Cup last triumph complete Manchester United a week anterior was hugely impressive.
After weathering a spell of Arsenal possession successful nan opening minutes, nan Blues of nan cup last showed up, Alyssa Thompson and Lauren James wreaking havoc connected a backline sorely missing Leah Williamson and their centre-back Steph Catley. Their first large chance came connected nan break. It started erstwhile Lucy Bronze dispossessed Beth Mead successful nan Chelsea container and ended pinch a Thompson effort which took a deflection disconnected Laia Codina and bounced erstwhile to displacement goalwards earlier coming backmost disconnected nan wrong of nan acold post.
Sensing Arsenal’s nerves astatine nan back, 2 minutes later nan visiting squad went agonisingly adjacent again. Codina did good to get backmost successful beforehand of James who was played done but nan guardant sewage her changeable distant and it came backmost disconnected nan wrong of nan aforesaid station that had denied Thompson.
Slegers’ broadside were riding their luck, but aft those adjacent shaves they started to settee and were rewarded successful nan 22nd infinitesimal erstwhile James was penalised for an unnecessary foul connected Mariona Caldentey 10 yards extracurricular nan box. Katie McCabe coiled successful nan free-kick and an unmarked Blackstenius nodded home.
They doubled their lead successful style erstwhile Kelly powered nan shot successful from 25 yards out, having ended a six-month drought pinch a hat-trick successful Saturday’s 5-0 triumph complete West Ham.
They were fortunate their lead wasn’t reduced soon earlier nan break, erstwhile nan referee ruled retired Veerle Buurman’s header aft nan defender roseate supra Codina and nodded in. The Dutch world had 2 hands connected nan enarthrosis of nan Arsenal centre-back who didn’t effort to situation for nan ball, but it was an incredibly soft determination and nan video adjunct referee did not overturn it, presumably because it was not considered a clear and evident error.
The location squad looked comfortable aft nan break, moreover pinch Codina, connected a yellowish for a situation connected Sjoeke Nüsken, having made measurement for Taylor Hinds and McCabe shifting into nan near centre-back role.
Russo doubly went adjacent to putting nan crippled beyond Bompastor’s side; nan first effort came soon aft nan restart and nan 2nd followed a delightful twist distant from Keira Walsh and some brought saves from Hannah Hampton.
They were punished for their profligacy successful their play of power successful nan 66th minute. A area from nan correct was yet nodded distant by Beth Mead but landed enticingly astatine nan feet of James who took a touch, picked her spot and coiled a dipping effort into nan apical area from 20 yards.
Arsenal seemed unperturbed though, possibly fuelled by nan battling tally they had to spell connected to assistance this trophy past year, aliases their bragging authorities complete their opponents aft an awesome 2-0 triumph astatine Stamford Bridge successful January. Russo was connected nan scoresheet successful nan 76th minute, spinning nan shot up from her feet pinch her first touch and powering it successful pinch her second, pursuing a walk from Blackstenius, for her eighth Champions League extremity of nan season.
Chelsea were furious astatine nan death, erstwhile Buchanan’s bundled-in effort was ruled out, but this was acold little controversial, nan defender taking retired Borbe pinch immoderate unit successful nan process. Advantage Arsenal, but if this is what a heavy depleted Chelsea tin do, thing is successful nan bag.
