A stunning comeback in North London on Wednesday saw Arsenal overturn a two-goal deficit against Real Madrid to progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Heading into the clash on home soil with a mountain to climb following last week’s defeat at a sodden Estadio Alfredo di Stefano, Renée Slegers’ side dominated for long spells throughout the first half but were unable to break the deadlock until Alessia Russo bundled home less than a minute after the interval.
Less than three minutes later, they’d restored aggregate parity through a fine header from Mariona Caldentey – and the goals just kept coming, with Russo bagging a second on the hour mark to put the hosts in control of their progression to the final four.
Arsenal will face Olympique Lyonnais in the semi-finals on 19/20 and 26/27 April.
Against a backdrop of 22,517 fans on a pleasant March evening in North London, the urgency of the task facing Arsenal on Wednesday was not lost on Renée Slegers’ side, who forced golden opportunities to halve the aggregate deficit within minutes.
Chloe Kelly – a deadline day loan signing from Manchester City – showed signs of promise on the right flank early on, with her teasing delivery in for Alessia Russo snatched away from the forward by Misa Rodriguez. It would be Mariona Caldentey, though, to send the home fans’ heart rates racing a few moments later when she nodded a corner delivery against the crossbar having been left in acres of space at the back post.
Mariona, formerly of Barcelona, was able to forge a chance of her own soon after when, despite taking a heavy touch inside the box, she turned a teasing ball across the face of goal. Arsenal weren’t able to convert their early dominance into a tangible lead on the night on that occasion though, nor were they able to when Kelly, Russo and Caldentey sent in promising crosses.
The first half for Slegers’ side had been a marked improvement from their poor showing on the sodden pitch of the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano last week, but despite dominating for large periods, the _Gunners_ trundled down the tunnel for half-time still trailing by two goals. That deficit could have been three goals had Linda Caicedo’s close-range strike inside the final five minutes of the half snuck past Daphne van Domselaar at the near post, after the Dutch shotstopper was only able to parry away a fierce effort from Filippa Angeldahl following a blistering counter-attack from _las Blancas_.
But Arsenal’s woes in front of goal were evidently left in the changing room at half time, with Russo bundling home from a Kelly cross at the far post to give the _Gunners_ a crucial lifeline less than 45 seconds into the second half. Slegers’ team talk had paid off; and just three minutes later, her side were level on aggregate. With just 48 minutes and 31 seconds on the matchday clock, another inch-perfect cross from Kelly on the right flank was met by Mariona on the penalty spot, with the 29-year-old sending a headed effort under the diving arms of Misa in the visitors’ goal.
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Arsenal were in control, but were still searching for the third goal that would be needed to avoid a dreaded penalty shootout. A palpable sigh of relief accompanied Russo’s thunderous effort on the hour mark that gave the _Gunners_ the aggregate lead, with the 26-year-old slamming home from a Katie McCabe free-kick that had been nodded into her path by Steph Catley.
The talismanic forward thought she had completed her hat-trick with 20 minutes remaining of this enthralling second-leg, sliding home from a Frida Maanum cross, only for the finish to be chalked off for an offside infringement. She was unlucky not to add another to her tally ten minutes later, when she sent a header from Beth Mead’s corner just wide of the post.
That long-awaited hat-trick looked to have arrived in the 89th minute, though Russo’s celebrations were once again cut short by the offside flag as the forward had strayed just inches past the last defender in the buildup. Those few inches looked as through they’d come back to bit the _Gunners_ inside the six minutes of stoppage time, when Linda Caicedo broke free on the counter-attack and forced a fine save from van Domselaar.
It was, despite a late scare, a dominant showing in North London – and one that was desperately needed after last week’s affair in the Spanish capital – that saw the _Gunners_ comfortably through to the semi-finals of the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League, where they’ll face Olympique Lyonnais over two legs on 19/20 and 26/27 April.
**ARS:** van Domselaar; McCabe, Catley, Williamson, Fox; Mariona, Maanum, Little; Foord, Russo, Kelly
**RMA:** Misa; Olga, Lakrar, Mendez, García; Weir, Angeldahl, Toletti; Athenea, Bruun, Caicedo