Arsenal resist Chelsea rally to reach women's Champions League semis / Photo: © AFP
Arsenal resist Chelsea rally to reach women's Champions League semis
Defending champions Arsenal withstood a late Chelsea onslaught to book their place in the women's Champions League semi-finals despite a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to progress 3-2 on aggregate.
The damage for the Blues was done in last week's first leg as their long wait to win the competition goes on despite their domestic dominance in England over the past decade.
Arsenal ended an 18-year wait for an English winner of the women's Champions League when they shocked Barcelona in last season's final and dug deep to remain on course to defend their crown.
The Gunners kept Sonia Bompastor's side at arm's length until a frantic finale in which both sides should have netted multiple times.
Stina Blackstenius looked to have killed the tie off when the Swede headed in 10 minutes from time but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check for a marginal offside.
Buoyed by that let-off Chelsea suddenly sprang into life.
Lauren James stung the palms of Daphne van Domselaar and Veerle Buurman fired the rebound off the post with the goal gaping.
Moments later Van Domselaar produced an incredible stop to turn Sjoeke Nusken's header onto the post.
At the other end Beth Mead also struck the woodwork as Arsenal threatened to take advantage of Chelsea's desperation on the counter-attack.
When the opener finally arrived, four minutes into added time, it was too late for Chelsea.
Nusken connected sweetly to fire in at the near post from Sam Kerr's cross.
But there was still time for more drama as Bompastor was shown a red card for two bookable offences after a hair pull on Alyssa Thompson by Katie McCabe went unpunished.
Arsenal will face either eight-time winners Lyon or Wolfsburg in the last four.
The Germans lead 1-0 ahead of their second leg in France on Thursday.
On the other side of the draw, Bayern Munich beat Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate and will almost certainly face Barcelona, who hold a 6-2 first-leg lead over Real Madrid, in the semi-finals.
(R.Dupont--LPdF)
