Arsenal: Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Little, Mariona; Mead, Russo, Kelly; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Votikova, Van Domselaar, Maanum, Smith, Hinds, Pelova, Holmberg, Harwood
Arsenal have beaten Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final with goals from Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly, and Alessia Russo. Arsenal, the defending Champions of Europe, have put themselves in a good position ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg but will still need to get the job done at Stamford Bridge.
Renée Slegers made 3 changes to Saturday’s team. Emily Fox and Katie McCabe returned to right back and left back, while Beth Mead, who assisted Stina Blackstenius’s Champions League winning goal, replaced Olivia Smith, who dropped to the bench.
The first chance came to Chelsea. Arsenal attacked well, and Russo worked the ball out to Mead on the left. She was stopped by Bronze, who countered, and the ball was slipped behind McCabe for Thompson. Thompson held Codina off and blocked the cross, which spun and deflected off the post, but Arsenal cleared.
Chelsea hit the post again on 8 minutes. Another ricochet led to James going in behind Codina, and her strike hit the inside of the far post.
Chelsea countered again after Mead lost the ball in a central area. The ball again was for Thompson, but Wubben-Moy got across to block.
Arsenal began to come into the game. First Mead won a corner and then Blackstenius had a shot saved by Hampton, though the referee blew for a foul on Buchanan.
On 22 minutes Mariona was fouled by James about 25 yards away from goal on the right. McCabe’s curling delivery went into the 6 yard box, and Blackstenius, unmarked, got a touch with her head to nudge the ball into the corner. 1-0.
On 28 minutes Blackstenius looked to break away but was dragged back by James, who was booked.
Mariona’s shot went behind for a corner, and McCabe’s delivery was again pinpoint but Russo headed wide.
On 30 minutes, Russo was free out wide and her cutback found Blackstenius, but she didn’t get purchase on the shot, which was straight at Hampton.
On 32 minutes, Arsenal would double their lead. Mead found Kelly on the inside left about 25 yards from goal. She took a touch, and then struck a hard, curling effort into the far corner. 2-0.
Codina was booked on 35 minutes for a foul on Nüsken.
From a set piece, Baltimore’s delivery led to Chelsea putting the ball into the net. Wubben-Moy’s header went back, and Buurman, on the goal line, got higher than Codina and headed in. The referee, though, blew for a fairly soft foul on Codina.
Another dangerous set piece from Cuthbert saw first Bronze and then Girma just miss the ball in the 6-yard box.
Chelsea won another corner after Mead gave the ball away in Arsenal’s half to James, who couldn’t get past Fox. Chelsea went short, working the ball to Walsh on the edge of the area, whose shot was blocked.
There were 4 minutes added on at the end of the first half.
At half time Taylor Hinds replaced Laia Codina, with Katie McCabe going to centre back.
Blackstenius was slipped in behind by Mead’s pass, but her low shot was easily saved by Hampton.
James took on Wubben-Moy and was held up, but gained a yard to shoot from a narrow angle, but straight at Borbe.
On 49 minutes Kelly and McCabe combined well on the left, with McCabe found on the overlap, but her cutback was put behind for a corner.
Arsenal went short from the corner. Mead drove to the edge of the box, turned away from Thompson and returned the ball to Mariona, who was free in space, but her curled shot was wide and high.
Arsenal nearly made it 3 on 53 minutes. First, Kelly played into Russo, who turned Walsh but her powerful shot was too close at Hampton who beat it away. Then, Mead found Blackstenius, whose shot was blocked by Girma.
Chelsea made an attacking change on 57 minutes, with Kaneryd replacing Girma and Chelsea moving to a back four, as James went to a central position and Thompson went left.
Olivia Smith replaced Chloe Kelly on 60 minutes.
McCabe’s long ball found Blackstenius who combined with Mead but Buurman got across the Swede before Bronze’s comical dive under pressure from Smith saw the referee give the foul.
Chelsea got a goal back on 66 minutes. Arsenal cleared a Chelsea corner to James. She shifted onto her left foot, shaped to cross but shot, with her shot flying into the upper corner. 2-1.
On 73 minutes, James bumped Wubben-Moy to the ground. McCabe’s ball was again teasing, but Chelsea made first contact, and saw out the danger.
Baltimore ran down Arsenal’s right, advancing all the way into the penalty area before shooting, but her shot was tame and at Borbe.
Arsenal extended their lead on 76 minutes. McCabe first got the better of James, and then while falling down, played sharply forward into Blackstenius, who carried into the middle. She then found Russo, whose first touch bounced up. She struck the volley low and into the corner, beating Hampton. 3-1.
Arsenal made a double change on 78 minutes. Frida Maanum replaced Blackstenius and Smila Holmberg replaced Mead. Russo went upfront and Holmberg went to the right.
On 89 minutes, Mariona lost the ball in midfield. James turned away from Mariona onto her left foot from the edge of the area and shot, with the ball bouncing just before Borbe parried it away for a corner.
James’ corner found Nüsken in the box but she headed straight at Borbe.
3 minutes were added on to the end of the match.
Kaptein drove to the byline, but saw her cross blocked out for a corner by Wubben-Moy.
From the corner, James’ delivery drifted into the box. Buchanan met it, saw her initial effort saved by Borbe and then bundled the ball over the line. In doing so, though, she fouled Borbe, with her studs going into the goalkeeper’s midriff, and the referee disallowed the goal.
Victoria Pelova replaced Mariona on 93 minutes.
Arsenal won a corner in the 95th minute, with Smith’s clever flick allowing Russo to find Holmberg, whose cross was blocked. There was time to take the corner, with McCabe’s delivery going through and finding Russo. She cut the ball back towards Wubben-Moy in the middle of the box, but the effort was blocked.