**Arsenal:** Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona; Smith, Russo, Foord; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Borbe, Votikova, Codina, Hinds, Holmberg, Pelova, Maanum, Mead, Kelly
Arsenal, the reigning Champions of Europe, have advanced to the semi-final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, beating Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate. Chelsea won 1-0 on the night through a late Nüsken goal, with Arsenal defending stoutly on the night.
Renée Slegers made 3 changes to Arsenal’s team from Saturday. Emily Fox came back into the team, as did Stina Blackstenius, while Caitlin Foord started in place of Chloe Kelly. Daphne van Domselaar continued in goal. Frida Maanum and Smila Holmberg dropped to the bench.
Chelsea won a corner on four minutes. James had lots of space to play the ball in and Nüsken’s header was put behind. Arsenal though defended the corner.
Nüsken had a glorious chance on 8 minutes. Carpenter played a cross that McCabe blocked, but at the second attempt she found Nüsken free in the box, but she curled her shot wide.
Russo had a go on 10 minutes from range but the shot was low and Hampton saved.
On 13 minutes McCave drove forward down the left and shot from the edge of the box but over.
Arsenal were getting a foothold though, and as Foord drove down the left James’ clearance only came to Mariona, who set Little up for a blocked shot. Then Foord drove down the left and shot straight at Hampton.
Chelsea continued to push, though, and Bronze’s through ball came to Thompson who shot wide.
On 30 minutes Carpenter was found by a long ball and played a dangerous cross across the box but no Chelsea player met it and Fox put it behind for a corner.
Two minutes later good interplay between Kerr and Thompson led to the latter getting in behind but she shot over Van Domselaar’s goal.
Smith won a free kick just outside the D but McCabe’s shot was blocked by the wall.
Catley went down on 42 minutes off the ball, with an issue with her leg. She tried to carry on after receiving treatment but was forced to come off with injury, with Taylor Hinds coming on and Katie McCabe going to centre back, with that change made on 45 minutes.
Three minutes were added on to the end of the first half, and at the break, despite all Chelsea’s pressure and quite a few good chances, it was scoreless.
Hinds won the ball back off Carpenter in Chelsea’s third, causing Carpenter to pull her down and get booked. Mariona took the free kick but Chelsea cleared and then Fox’s ball back into the box was easily claimed by Hampton.
Foord battled Bronze and won a corner, though the method that Bronze took Foord down seemed borderline a foul. Play continued though, and McCabe’s inswinger found Russo whose header was blocked.
Chelsea countered and a long ball from James found Kerr. She was caught up by Fox and Wubben-Moy, and shot from the edge of the box, with Van Domselaar parrying over the bar. From the second corner, the ball came back out to James who curled an effort with her left foot from the edge of the box over the goal.
Chelsea kept up their spell of pressure, winning another corner on 58 minutes. James went short, got the ball back and crossed with her left but Foord cleared before Wubben-Moy won a free kick.
Chelsea made two changes on the hour mark, as Baltimore and Charles replaced Buchanan and Cuthbert.
James was booked kicking McCabe after the latter had made a clearance.
Hinds was booked for timewasting on a throw-in.
James had space in the middle as Arsenal backed off and she played into Charles whose dangerous cross just missed Kerr and Arsenal cleared.
On 69 minutes Arsenal made a double change: Beth Mead replaced Olivia Smith and Smila Holmberg replaced Emily Fox.
Russo played an excellent through ball on the break for Blackstenius but she was held up by Buurman and her shot was blocked. Holmberg then got to the byline and crossed, with Blackstenius just missing contact and then Foord had a shot blocked.
Russo turned well on the edge of D and shot, but wide of Hampton’s near post.
Arsenal countered through Blackstenius and Mead. Mead kept looking for a run, but then carried into the box before working back onto her right foot and crossing, with Blackstenius heading over and taking the chance away from Foord behind her.
On 75 minutes, Kerr had a good chance. James’ cross found her in a potentially offside position, and Kerr made good contact but her shot was straight at van Domselaar.
Kerr’s header found James on the edge of the box. She took the ball down and shot, but dragged her shot wide.
Arsenal thought they took the lead on 80 minutes. Mead’s pass came into Blackstenius on the edge of the box, and she laid the ball off to Holmberg. Holmberg drove to the byline and crossed, and Blackstenius headed in. The goal, though, was ruled out, as Blackstenius had been offside in the first phase.
Chelsea came straight back down the other end, and Nüsken’s header from James’ cross went just wide.
Russo then held off Kerr and ran through the middle. Buurman forced her wide before she shot, with Hampton saving.
Chelsea brought Kaptein on for Walsh on 84 minutes. Slegers also made two chances, with Laia Codina replacing Mariona and Frida Maanum replacing Stina Blackstenius. Codina went into centre back.
On 85 minutes, James hit the post. Chelsea went short from the corner, and James carried along the edge of the box before shooting. Van Domselaar saved, but Buurman came onto the rebound and hit the post, and Arsenal were able to clear.
Chelsea came close again on 87 minutes. Bronze’s cross came into the middle, and found Nüsken. Van Domselaar’s fingertips pushed the header onto the post and then the ball rolled along the line before Wubben-Moy cleared.
Arsenal hit the post in stoppage time. Maanum won the ball back in midfield, and slipped Mead in. Mead cut onto her left foot but struck the far upright.
Five minutes were added on at the end of the second half.
Arsenal wasted two of the minutes by taking the ball to the corner.
Arsenal should’ve wrapped the tie in the third minute. Foord was played in by Russo and drove on and on into the box, before looking to cutback instead of shoot, and Chelsea cleared.
Chelsea got a goal back in the 4th minute of stoppage time. Kerr went down the left. She crossed, and Nüsekn got ahead of Wubben-Moy and fired past Van Domselaar at the near post. [1-0](https://streamin.link/v/ed4ee01b).
McCabe pulled Thompson down by the hair but the referee played on and Arsenal kept possession. McCabe then won a throw.
Bompastor was sent off for a second yellow as play continued past the allotted five minutes. Chelsea had a free kick, and Hampton played it into the box, and McCabe cleared. Bronze then crossed, Kaptein headed over, and then mercifully the referee blew for full time.
The only in the land!