Arsenal came back from 2-0 down against Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final to ensure the return game at the Emirates Stadium at the start of next month will now be a winner takes all affair.
Ewa Pajor and Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir had given the German hosts a commanding lead at the Volkswagen Arena. Yet Rafaelle headed Arsenal back into it, before the tireless Stina Blackstenius equalised to given the Gunners arguably the most slender of advantages at home next time.
Arsenal lost Leah Williamson to an ACL injury on Wednesday night, the latest key player to be ruled out of action for the Gunners, and that likely influenced manager Jonas Eidevall to line up in a damage limitation-style 5-4-1 formation at the Volkswagen Arena.
Wolfsburg unsurprisingly dominated the ball from the start and looked a threat, particularly on the left where Jonsdottir’s pace was an issue for the Gunners. But it was from the other side that Pajor’s opener was made, with Jonsdottir drifting into the middle to take down a cross from deep and feed the Polish number nine – she finished with composure past Manuela Zinsberger.
Wolfsburg’s second was opportunistic and entirely the result of Arsenal’s own mistake. Receiving the ball from a goal kick, Jennifer Beattie played it out to Rafaelle, who returned the pass across the box. But with the ball too far in front of Beattie, Jonsdottir shot in for an easy tap-in.
Arsenal were on the ropes at the stage and were just trying to hold on. But the visiting Gunners did weather the storm and actually began to build a little momentum towards the end of the first half. Frida Maanum, whose strength, power and hard running was always likely to be a weapon, was engineered into space and forced Merle Frohms into a good save.
From the resultant corner, Rafaelle rose highest at the far post to halve the deficit.
The second half lacked momentum from either side. Wolfsburg were still on top without making the most of that dominance, while Arsenal understandably seemed reluctant to commit too many players forward at the risk of being hit for a third.
Wolfsburg’s mistake then proved to be pushing too hard for that third goal, leaving space that the Gunners were suddenly able to exploit. Lotte Wubben-Moy saw an opportunity to slip in Victoria Pelova in the inside right channel, with the ball across an easy tap-in for Blackstenius.
Jill Roord nearly restored Wolfsburg’s lead against her former club with a low…
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