You should have seen the objective by now. You should have. If not, go and discover it, and drink in its 4 seconds of angular magnificence. It’s the objective that modified every part for Arsenal, on the evening they really made the Emirates their dwelling within the Women’s Champions League.
There have been so many nearly-moments on this competitors, a few of them right here. Occasions when Arsenal didn’t look as much as this degree or prepared for this stage. This may have been one other: Arsenal have been 10 years with no Champions League semi-final, whereas Bayern Munich arrived on the again of a 14-match win streak, and with a one-goal benefit.
How Frida Maanum modified that. How Lia Walti modified that, together with her first-time cross by to Stina Blackstenius to begin all of it. Then there was the lay-off to Leah Williamson – intricate and exact – resulting in the flick. How the Arsenal captain noticed Maanum is one other query, but it surely shaped a neat sq. on the sting of the Bayern field. Maanum took two steps again and swung, the shot rising completely, finishing a sequence of meticulous touches, an exhibition of trigonometry.
Yes, Bayern had performed themselves into hassle, not as soon as however twice. In what was a cagey begin to the second leg, the German facet seemed to attract Arsenal out and have been starting to exert management in a quarter-final that had been finely poised since final Tuesday evening in Munich. But Arsenal raised it to a degree right here that Bayern merely couldn’t match, their solely risk coming from a flurry of corners early within the second half. In the top, Tuva Hansen’s unfastened ball out from defence was when it began to slide away.
From there Arsenal have been excellent, their attacking play chic, as Jonas Eidevall’s facet blew the Bundesliga leaders aside. Victoria Pelova, whose introduction on the fitting facet of Arsenal’s assault helped change the tie, was a menace and pinned again the harmful Klara Buhl. Katie McCabe and Caitlin Foord overwhelmed Maxi Rall on the alternative flank. Blackstenius, taking part in with freedom and confidence, pieced it collectively. Williamson, Manuum and Walti operated fantastically – a lot of their play was instinctive and one-touch.
Bayern have been shocked, dazed by the sight of Arsenal in full flight. Blackstenius made it two with a header from shut vary after McCabe skipped previous Rall and produced an exquisite, dinked cross to the six-yard line. Williamson went shut with a back-post header, arrange fantastically by Foord. Blackstenius hooked large earlier than Lotte Wubben-Moy’s sliced cross struck the bar, with Maria Luisa Grohs crushed. The Bayern goalkeeper may have conceded 4 of 5 by half time.
Stina Blackstenius scored the successful objective within the tie
(Getty Images)
The remorse from Arsenal, for all of their scintillating play, was that they didn’t attain the 4 or 5 their play deserved. Bayern remained within the tie on the scoreboard. They threatened from set-pieces however provided little else, regardless of the lingering sense of unease that comes with a slender one-goal lead. Arsenal created fewer moments of hazard after the break, however the high quality remained devastatingly excessive. McCabe went shut after a blinding run. Foord ought to have buried Bayern after a pleasant flick from the sensible Maanum, who had set the Gunners on their method.
How Arsenal wanted a second like her gorgeous strike. The Gunners carried out nicely in Munich and did every part however rating, with two photographs cleared off the road and one other thudding off the publish on the Allianz Arena. Arsenal misplaced captain Kim Little to harm within the opening 10 minutes, because the ball squirmed and slipped out of attain on a lightning quick floor following a flurry of heavy rain on the Emirates. Bayern have been starting to place collectively passing sequences, sucking out any momentum, however then Williamson pushed into midfield. The England captain was immense and Arsenal began to play on a special degree.
The remainder of the Champions League will take discover. The semi-finals have been one thing of a closed store lately and solely six groups, together with Bayern, have reached the final 4 since 2018. Arsenal are there now and could have nothing to worry once they face both Paris Saint-Germain or Wolfsburg. The Emirates will rise too, because it did on Wednesday evening with a file attendance of 21,307 within the competitors. Arsenal solely managed 1 / 4 of that this time final yr, as they suffered a well-recognized exit within the quarter-finals. But their fortunes in Europe have now modified, on the evening when Arsenal really arrived.
Discussion about this post