Arsenal are again within the Champions League semi-finals after coming by means of a bruising, nervy tie by which management was usually secondary to their work fee.
They misplaced on the night time, however not the place it mattered, with Daphne van Domselaar central to a show that mentioned loads about how far this facet have come.
Photograph by Warren Little/Getty Photographs
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Arsenal have certified for the Champions League semi-finals, going by means of 3-2 on mixture regardless of dropping the second leg in opposition to Chelsea 1-0 in harm time.
A Sjoeke Nuesken objective was not sufficient for Chelsea, with Daphne van Domselaar immense in Arsenal’s objective.
It was a tense recreation, stuffed with duels and bodily challenges. The refereeing workforce was saved busy, made some curious calls, and VAR did little to assist these on the pitch.
VAR is there as a security web for referees, and I don’t assume the officers have been adequate throughout both leg of the tie. When a recreation is set by such advantageous margins, as this one was, .
Photograph by Warren Little/Getty Photographs
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Arsenal have taken main steps by way of their maturity. Successful the Ladies’s Champions League and the FIFA Ladies’s Champions Cup has clearly modified the mentality of the workforce. They now have perception.
They stood agency and tried to regulate the movement of the sport, and they didn’t crumble beneath stress. Solely a 12 months in the past there was quite a lot of uncertainty, however that has now gone.
Sadly, the harm curse struck once more, with Steph Catley withdrawn earlier than half-time with a calf downside. She was changed by Taylor Hinds, with Katie McCabe shifting to left centre-back once more.
Leah Williamson was not match and was not named within the squad, nor was Sophie Harwood.
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Emily Fox additionally appeared to have an issue and was changed by Smilla Holmberg, who was once more wonderful. The hope now could be merely that no extra accidents are added to the checklist, as a result of the squad is getting shorter and shorter in numbers.
The Instances, 2 April 2026
On the disciplinary facet, Aaron d’Antino collected his third reserving of the event and can due to this fact miss the primary semi-final.
McCabe’s hair-pulling motion was not checked by VAR, so until UEFA open a disciplinary case, which doesn’t occur usually, she is within the clear for the second.
Subsequent for Arsenal is the Ladies’s FA Cup spherical 5 at Meadow Park in opposition to Brighton on Sunday, and a few rotation must be anticipated.
Gamers who haven’t began not too long ago are prone to be concerned earlier than the squad heads off on worldwide obligation.