Following Chelsea’s 1-0 loss to Everton in December, their first in 35 matches, Sonia Bompastor wasn’t best pleased to say the least.
“Everywhere needs VAR and so it is fair for everyone,” the Chelsea manager berated.
The Champions League was meant to be her safe space. A place where VAR could right the wrongs she felt hard done by.
But how wrong she was.
Two goals disallowed, two VAR checks, and both times the on-field decision was upheld due to dubious fouls, which had they not been given, the goals would likely have been allowed.
Bompastor was incandescent with rage.
“For sure the first goal is a goal. I cannot see how with VAR you cannot allow that goal. It’s a shame to be honest.
“It’s always difficult to complain about the referees when you lost the game but to be honest it’s not good enough.”
And in fact, they were the difference. A 3-1 defeat at the Emirates means the Blues have a serious rescue job on their hands in the second leg.
Goals from Stina Blackstenius and Chloe Kelly gave the Gunners a half-time lead. After the break, Lauren James’ floated effort gave Chelsea hope, but Alessia Russo restored the two-goal lead 15 minutes from time.
However, the game was marred by the decision late in the first half to disallow Chelsea a goal for a foul by Veerle Buurman on Mariona Caldentey.
“When you are playing a quarter-final of the Champions League, you need more respect for the women’s game. You need to respect the players because they work hard every week to put in a good performance,” Bompastor said.
“We deserve the best referees. If it has to come from the men’s game or the women’s game, it has to be the best. We need to bring competence, that’s the most important.”
Renee Slegers made three changes from her side’s dominant 5-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday. Emily Fox and Katie McCabe returned as fullbacks, while Beth Mead replaced the injured Olivia Smith.
Meanwhile, following a minor injury crisis, the Blues were left ‘strikerless’.
“We’ll have enough players to play tomorrow,” manager Sonia Bompastor jested on Monday. But with Sam Kerr and Aggie Beever-Jones ruled out, the pair of Lauren James and Alyssa Thompson were forced to operate as makeshift No. 9s.
Nevertheless, they came agonisingly close to finding early joy. First, Thompson’s deflected strike looped past Anneke Borbe in the Arsenal net to strike the left post.
And only two minutes later, James wriggled free of Laia Codina to rattle the same post, taking a further lick of paint from the woodwork.
Hannah Hampton got her gloves dirty for the first time shortly after the quarter-hour mark, denying Blackstenius from point-blank range. Alas, it won’t be added to her stats column as play was called back for a dubious ‘foul’ on Kadeisha Buchanan.
It wasn’t long before Arsenal’s Champions League hero found the net. After 22 minutes, the Swede ghosted in behind the Chelsea line to glance in Katie McCabe’s freekick to put the Gunners one-nil to the good.
Kelly doubled the home side’s lead ten minutes later, but questions have to be asked of Hampton. The England international was already showing her frustrations, frequently remonstrating with referee Alina Pesu, but she could have no complaints as she allowed Kelly’s long-range effort to sneak under her body.
Kelly didn’t care, though as she wheeled away to celebrate. She backed up her hat-trick at the weekend, another goal against her bitter rivals.
Chelsea thought they had clawed one back before the break after Veerle Buurman bundled in a free kick off Mariona Caldentey. But the centre back was adjudged to have fouled the Spaniard while doing so.
Buurman might be considerably taller than Caldentey, four inches taller to be precise, but even her superior size did not seem a justification for the latter’s theatric fall to the floor.
Arsenal were cruising at the start of the second half. Chelsea turned themselves up a notch in terms of pressure, but to little end product.
But you can never rule out James.
It’s as if she has magic in her boots. A cross, turned shot, turned dink, turned worldie. Who even thinks of that?
It caught Borbe by surprise. James received the ball on the edge of the box in what seemed a harmless position but with minimal backlift, stabbed an effort over the keeper and into the top right corner.
Arsenal responded with magic of their own.
Russo had been missing for the majority of the match, often finding herself in duels against Sjoeke Nusken or Erin Cuthbert. Playing in behind Blackstenius, she might find this, but the pair combined for Arsenal’s third.
An insightful pass from Blackstenius to her strike partner allowed Russo just enough time to fire past Hampton at the near post.
Buchanan had the ball in the net in stoppage time. But once again, the referee played spoilsport. And again, no VAR intervention.
Despite the result, Arsenal manager Renee Slegers was not satisfied with the performance.
“There are a lot of things I’m happy with, but we always stay critical because it was a very tight game. In certain moments, we can definitely have a look at how we can manage them better.”
Chelsea now have it all to do, but they’ll take confidence from last year, having overturned a two-goal deficit at home against Manchester City.
“If I didn’t have the belief or the confidence, I would just stay home. It’s my job to make sure I give the belief to the players,” Bompastor said.
“Nothing will be easy. We are going against a very good team. But I think we still have the quality in the squad to achieve great things.”
Paul Edwards
Paul, often known as Eddie, is the Editor-in-Chief for the Sports Gazette, as well as a keen football enthusiast. As a sports freak, he can often be found ranting about how his lookalike, Lewis Hall, should be in the England squad or how Rehan Ahmed is criminally overrated. Paul publishes his projects on Substack (@pauledwards123) as well as writing for Hampton and Richmond Borough FC. His passion for sport is palpable, and he is excited for the opportunity to write about the ups and downs of high-level sport. Contact him via [email protected].
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