Arsenal vs Real Madrid LIVE: Gunners complete stunning comeback to reach Women’s Champions League semi-finals
Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid (Arsenal win 3-2 on aggregate): Alessia Russo scored twice as the Gunners pulled off a brilliant comeback at the Emirates
Arsenal completed a dream comeback against Real Madrid in the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final to win 3-2 on aggregate and progress to the semi-finals for the eighth time in their history.
Renee Slegers’ team lost the first leg 2-0 away from home courtesy of goals from Linda Caicedo and Athenea del Castillo, and for the first 45 minutes at the Emirates it looked like the deadlock would never be broken - despite Arsenal dominating possession and spurning a host of chances.
But that all changed in the second half as the Gunners moved level with a quick-fire double in just two minutes and 48 seconds, with Alessia Russo turning in a fabulous Chloe Kelly cross for the opener before Mariona Caldentey knocked down another ball from the Manchester City loanee past keeper Misa.
Russo completed the turnaround ten minutes later with a brilliant team goal from a free-kick by Katie McCabe, and had a further two goals ruled out for offside as Arsenal continued to press.
Despite a late surge by Caicedo, the Gunners held on to secure a famous victory in front of a historic crowd of 22,517 - a new record crowd for the Women’s Champions League quarter-final in the UK.
They will play Lyon in the semis for a place in the final on 24 May in Lisbon, after the French side thrashed Bayern Munich 6-1 on aggregate (4-1 earlier on Wednesday).
Relive all the Women’s Champions League action and updates with our live blog below:
Team news - Arsenal
Little has been cleared to play after taking a knock against Liverpool mid-week, with the same starting XI from that 4-0 win.
Arsenal XI: van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, Little (C), McCabe, Maanum, Foord, Kelly, Russo
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Williams, Codina, Ilestedt, Nighswonger, Reid, Walti, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Mead, Kafaji, Blackstenius
Team news incoming...
We’re expecting team news shortly, with Kim Little a doubt for Arsenal after she was forced off in the second half of their last outing, a 4-0 win over Liverpool.
Lotte Wubben-Moy remains unavailable for selection, but Victoria Pelova made her return against Liverpool from a long-term knee injury and will add depth to the hosts’ bench.
The visitors will be missing Rocio Galvez and Teresa Abelleira, who have both been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Melanie Leupolz will join the absentees after she tore a ligament in last week’s match.
Vivianne Miedema deals Chelsea first defeat of season as Man City seize first-leg lead
Elsewhere in the Women’s Champions League, substitute Vivianne Miedema scored a brace as Manchester City inflicted Chelsea's first defeat of the season by beating them 2-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Joie Stadium.
Miedema, having come off the bench for the start of the second half, put City in front on the hour mark, rifling in the rebound when Hannah Hampton tipped Laia Aleixandri's header against the crossbar.
And after Chelsea substitute Johanna Rytting Kaneryd had struck the bar at the other end in the 80th minute, Miedema added her second with two minutes of normal time remaining to give City a two-goal advantage heading into Thursday’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Vivianne Miedema deals Chelsea first defeat of season as Man City seize control
Women's Champions League quarter-finals
A reminder of the quarter-finallists from the draw in February:
Real Madrid vs Arsenal (first leg: 2-0)
Manchester City vs Chelsea (first leg: 2-0)
Wolfsburg vs FC Barcelona (first leg: 4-1)
Bayern Munich vs Lyon (first leg: 0-2)
Arsenal vs Real Madrid
Kick-off is rapidly approaching at the Emirates.
Whoever wins tonight will play Lyon for a place in the final in Lisbon on Saturday 24 May.
The French side thrashed Bayern Munich 4-1 in the earlier kick-off to go through to the semis 6-1 on aggregate.
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman stresses player safety concerns amid “dangerously” poor pitch conditions
And Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman also raised concerns over player safety after the match was overshadowed by poor playing conditions.
Held at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, the 6,000-seater home of Real's reserves, questions were raised at why the contest wasn’t staged at the Bernabeu, which was available during the men's international break.
Wiegman stresses player safety concerns amid poor pitch conditions
Ian Wright fumes over ‘disgrace’ of a pitch as Arsenal lose to Real Madrid
Following criticism of the pitch at Derby’s Pride Park for the Women’s League Cup final last week, the standard of the surface for a marquee women’s football fixture came under scrutiny for a second time in a matter of days, with Ian Wright branding the pitch for Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League defeat as a “disgrace”.
The visitors conceded a 2-0 first-leg deficit as Real Madrid made a strong start to their quarter-final ahead of the second half of the tie at the Emirates Stadium next week.
Ian Wright fumes over ‘disgrace’ of a pitch as Arsenal lose to Real Madrid
Arsenal’s trophy hopes dealt huge blow by Real Madrid and sodden surface
Much of the focus after the game was on the substandard playing surface at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium, with both sides struggling for fluency on a waterlogged, muddy pitch - but Arsenal the worse off.
Arsenal’s trophy hopes dealt huge blow by Real Madrid and sodden surface
Real Madrid take two-goal advantage to the Emirates
Real Madrid secured a two-goal first-leg advantage as Arsenal struggled in on a sodden surface in their Women’s Champions League quarter-final.
A wretched night and poor playing conditions in the Spanish capital made it far from an evening for fluent football, but the hosts struck twice on the counter-attack to take a strong lead to the Emirates Stadium next week. Colombian Linda Caicedo capitalised on a poor error from Leah Williamson - the Lionesses captain miscontrolling a skidding ball - to put Real ahead in a first half of few chances.
Arsenal improved after the break with both Caitlin Foord and Chloe Kelly introduced at the interval, though could not beat impressive home goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez. That allowed Athenea to extend the lead late on, firing past Manuela Zinsberger, to leave the Spanish side in control of the tie as they prepare to travel to London next week.
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