Russo brace fires Gunners into Champions League semi-finals: 5 issues we realized from Arsenal 3-0 Actual Madrid (3-2 agg)
Arsenal staged a shocking comeback, scoring three objectives in 13 minutes to beat Actual Madrid 3-2 on mixture, securing their place within the Ladies’s Champions League semi-finals.
After shedding 2-0 in Madrid final week, Arsenal knew they would wish a quick begin on the Emirates to safe their place within the subsequent spherical.
Regardless of a dominant first half that yielded no rewards, the Gunners got here out firing after the break, with Alessia Russo netting twice and Mariona Caldentey additionally getting on the scoresheet, to be 3-0 up 14 minutes into the second half.
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Their second-half surge, marked by fluid attacking play and renewed confidence, noticed them capitalise on key possibilities and arrange a showdown with Lyon within the subsequent spherical.
Right here’s 5 issues we realized from the match…
What did Renee Slegers say at half-time?
Regardless of a primary half that noticed Arsenal come out with excessive depth, it was no matter Renee Slegers stated at half-time that turned the sport on its head.
With two quickfire objectives in three minutes, the Gunners have been all sq. with Madrid on mixture by the forty ninth minute.
By the 59th minute, that they had accomplished their comeback and secured a spot within the semi-finals.
Russo on fireplace
Alessia Russo opened the scoring within the forty sixth minute, latching onto a superbly positioned Chloe Kelly cross that was begging for a completion.
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She doubled her tally within the 59th minute, capitalising on a deflected Katie McCabe free-kick to safe her brace and put Arsenal forward.
Russo got here near a hat-trick, however VAR dominated out her aim within the 71st minute, and one other offside name denied her once more within the 88th.
Regardless of lacking out on the match ball, she is going to take pleasure in her workforce’s resilience and the essential position she performed of their exceptional comeback.
Chloe Kelly on the cash
After a primary half stuffed with pinpoint crosses from Chloe Kelly however nobody within the six-yard field to transform them, Slegers clearly addressed this at half-time.
Only a minute into the second half, Russo discovered the online, and three minutes later, Caldentey introduced Arsenal degree on mixture.
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Fittingly, each objectives got here from Kelly’s deliveries, because the Manchester Metropolis loanee earned her well-deserved assists and sparked the comeback.
New Champions League quarter-final report
There’s nothing fairly like a Champions League evening beneath the lights on the Emirates for Arsenal followers.
Tonight noticed 22,517 descend on north London to cheer their workforce into the subsequent spherical of this European competitors they haven’t received since 2007.
This broke the report attendance for a Ladies’s Champions League quarter-final in England, beating Arsenal’s earlier report of 21,307 two years in the past once they performed Bayern Munich.
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Actual Madrid are a pressure in ladies’s soccer
For years, Barcelona have been the dominant pressure in Spanish and European soccer. However now, there’s one other powerhouse rising in Spain.
After final week’s victory over Arsenal in Madrid and a historic first El Clasico win in opposition to Barcelona on the weekend, Actual Madrid’s ladies’s workforce has confirmed they don’t seem to be to be underestimated.
It wasn’t till 2019 that the membership added a ladies’s workforce to their legacy, taking an unconventional route by merging with an already present membership. But, regardless of their late begin, their progress has been exceptional.
Following their 3-2 defeat to Chelsea on matchday one of many group phases, head coach Alberto Toril admitted that his facet was nonetheless growing however hoped to stay within the competitors to show themselves. And show themselves they’ve.
Regardless of not getting over the road tonight, they confirmed their power on the counter assault final week in Madrid and a robust first half defensive show tonight.
