Arsenal are into the semi-finals of the Girls’s Champions League for the primary time in 10 years due to a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich on the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners had first half objectives from Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius, in addition to a monstrous collective effort over the 90 minutes, to thank for overturning a 1-0 mixture deficit from the primary leg.
Incomes her place within the beginning XI from the north London derby, Victoria Pelova was on the coronary heart of an early goalmouth scramble that Bayern nearly managed to hack clear. However the Gunners quickly obtained a doubtlessly huge blow when Kim Little hobbled off the pitch moments later, seemingly affected by a clumsy fall after attempting to trip a reckless sort out.
However as she so typically has performed, Maanum stood as much as be counted. However the lack of their skipper, the Gunners had been the higher aspect within the early levels and Maanum’s wonderful opener – lashing the ball into the highest nook after a pointy one-touch transfer – was precisely with the run of play.
Solely the sharp reactions of goalkeeper Maria Grohs stopped the Gunners doubling that lead halfway by the primary half, with Pelova racing in direction of a unfastened again cross from Maximiliane Rall and getting there simply after the Bayern stopper cleared it.
They didn’t maintain Arsenal out for lengthy, although. Katie McCabe had the notice to maintain an overhit cross alive, whipping it again into the penalty space the place Blackstenius was ready to go in. There was even a component of Bayern clinging on by the point the interval got here, with Grohs making close-range saves in fast succession from Maanum and Blackstenius, and moments later one other excellent save from Grohs from a Blackstenius header.
As Bayern struggled to get going, Arsenal continued that depth when the groups returned and Maanum might need hit a killer blow however for her fierce strike catching Glodis Viggosdottir plumb on the chin and knocking the Icelandic defender clear off her toes.
An hour had been performed earlier than Bayern received remotely near touchdown a glove on Arsenal. The prospect belonged to winger Klara Buhl, skipping inside from the suitable however discovering Lotte Wubben-Moy firmly in the way in which of her shot. It was a warning signal for Arsenal, however they responded when McCabe waltzed by the away defence however her shot was deflected broad by Grohs.
Bayern had been beginning to come extra into the sport however Arsenal saved making possibilities and had the chance to place the tie to mattress when Caitlin Foord inexplicably fired excessive when in acres of house and solely Grohs to beat.
Late substitutions from either side disrupted the rhythm of the sport, in all probability extra to Arsenal’s profit. Into seven minutes of stoppage time, the Gunners had been decided to climate a rising storm – even Grohs went up for a late nook – however an finally disappointing Bayern discovered no means by.
GK: Manuela Zinsberger – 6/10 – Would have anticipated to be busier. Her greatest contribution was a handy damage break for remedy halfway by the second half.
RB: Noelle Maritz – 7/10 – Took a yellow card for gamesmanship within the second half.
CB: Leah Williamson – 7/10 – Moved into midfield when Little went off an recorded an excellently cheeky backheel help for Maanum. Gave her workforce extra defensive solidity.
CB: Rafaelle – 7/10 – Did not face an excessive amount of of a direct risk.
LB: Katie McCabe – 8/10 – Performed with good vitality that allowed her to get ahead and pin Bayern again. Assisted the important second objective with a fantastic cross.
CM: Frida Maanum – 9/10 – One other distinctive Champions League evening for the Norwegian. Scored an excellent objective and was concerned in the whole lot good that Arsenal did.
CM: Kim Little (c) – N/A – Compelled off inside 12 minutes as a result of damage after a clumsy fall.
CM: Lia Walti – 7/10 – Gave a brilliant disciplined efficiency in the course of the pitch.
RW: Victoria Pelova – 7/10 – Tried to make issues occur proper from the beginning and was concerned in a number of early strikes. Labored exhausting off the ball too.
ST: Stina Blackstenius – 8/10 – Continued her wonderful latest type by discovering the web and making herself an actual drawback for Bayern to cope with.
LW: Caitlin Foord – 5/10 – Labored exhausting out of possession however hadn’t been concerned as a lot as her teammates till squandering a second half likelihood to seal the tie.
Substitutes
SUB: Lotte Wubben-Moy (12′ for Little) – 7/10
SUB: Laura Wienroither (77′ for Pelova) – 6/10
SUB: Lina Hurtig (89′ for McCabe) – N/A
SUB: Jen Beattie (89′ for Blackstenius) – N/A
Supervisor
Jonas Eidevall – 9/10 – His workforce had been clealry fired up and the choice to reshuffle barely when Little was compelled off was confirmed to the suitable one.
GK: Maria Grohs – 8/10 – Stored Bayern aggressive within the tie with a string of essential saves.
RB: Maximiliane Rall – 5/10 – Responsible of a slack cross that just about gifted Arsenal one other first half objective
CB: Glodis Perla Viggosdottir – 6/10 – Shook off a blow to the face when she blocked a fierce shot.
CB: Saki Kumagai – 6/10 – Misplaced Blackstenius within the six-yard field for Arsenal’s second. Some large late tackles on Blackstenius and Maanum had been important to maintain Bayern alive.
LB: Tuva Hansen – 6/10 – Slightly wasteful in possession and located it troublesome towards Pelova. Made an important sort out on Foord within the closing levels.
CM: Sarah Zadrazil – 5/10 – Her early sort out was what compelled Little out of the sport.
CM: Georgia Stanway – 5/10 – Noticed loads of the ball however did not do sufficient to make an influence.
CM: Lina Magull (c) – 6/10 – Started to exert a bit of extra affect within the ultimate quarter.
RW: Klara Buhl – 6/10 – A quiet first hour however then appeared to be Bayern participant almost certainly to do one thing afterward.
ST: Lea Schuller – 5/10 – Starved of service and hardly touched the ball.
LW: Franziska Kett – 5/10 – A challengning evening for the 18-year-old. Protected with possession but unable to match Arsenal’s depth whereas she was on the pitch.
Substitutes
SUB: Jovana Damnjanovic (64′ for Kett) – 5/10
SUB: Sydney Lohmann (80′ for Zadrazil) – 5/10
SUB: Emelyne Laurent (80′ for Rall) – 6/10
SUB: Ivana Rudelic (88′ for Magull) – N/A
SUB: Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir (88′ for Schuller) – N/A
Supervisor
Alexander Straus – 5/10 – Noticed his workforce be too passive for a lot of the sport. Made attacking adjustments in direction of the top, however was it too little too late?
