Review: Arsenal Women 2-3 Wolfsburg. Blackstenius “it’s so tough to take” by Mchelle
Unfortunately, Arsenal failed to beat Wolfsburg at the Emirates, losing 3-2 to Wolfsburg in extra time. The Gunners’ failure to beat Wolfsburg at the Emirates meant that they have now been unable to beat the German side six times. It also means that the Gunners have only won one of their last seven UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-finals.
There was hope, even though they were not at full strength; the Gunner women could do something magical and qualify for the final against Wolfsburg set for June 3 in Eindhoven. It seemed so when they took the lead through Stina Blackstenius in the 11th minute, but Wolfsburg, through ex-Gunner Jill Roord, got the equaliser in the 44th minute. By halftime, everything was square, and whoever was hungry enough had the chance to book a date with Barca in the second half.
Wolfsburg came back hungrier; their talisman, Alexa Popp, stepped up and, in the 58th minute, gave the German side the lead. Popp’s goal may have left Wolfsburg fans believing they had won it, but the shock was on them in the 75th minute when Arsenal defender Jen Bettie equalised to get Arsenal back in the game. The game ended 2-2 and hence went to extra time. By the 115th minute, everyone thought it would be ending on penalties, but that was not the case; in the 119th minute, Pauline Bremer ended Arsenal’s ambition of winning the women’s champions league, scoring Wolfsburg’s winner.
The loss disappoints the Arsenal community, but Arsenal forward Stina Blacksteinus feels they (her teammates and her) should be proud of the heights they managed to reach. Although no one remembers the semi-finalists, she feels what they’ve achieved is incredible and is only the beginning of something beautiful about the Jonas Eidevall project.
“I feel empty at the moment. It was a very tough game, and it’s tough to concede a goal like that, but I’m so proud of how the team has done in the Champions League,” Blackstenius told DAZN, as quoted by BBC.
“We’ve come back in so many games and gone so close to the final. I’m so proud, but it’s so tough to take.
“It’s amazing to score a goal in front of a record crowd. I felt something in my quad that meant I couldn’t keep going, so I’m disappointed about that.
“We have a lot more to give. This will give us a lot of confidence; now we know what we really can achieve with this team. Considering how much we have gone through this season, to be able to play a game like this and go this close to a Champions League final.
“I know we can do this next season and keep going in the league.”
Arsenal women have done Gooners proud; the Champions League dream this season may be over, but only a few would forget how close Arsenal was to going to the final and probably winning against Barcelona, who haven’t had great luck in the Champions League, having only won in 2021 when they beat Chelsea in the Final.
What if Arsenal had a fully fit squad and no injuries going into that game? Gooners would be booking flights to the Netherlands to watch our Gunners in Eindhoven on June 3rd. But let’s forget about the what-ifs and the Champions League disappointment, as starting this Friday versus Leicester, the Arsenal women go back to making waves in the WSL title race.
Amazing highlights – Arsenal Women heart-broken after last-gasp winner from Wolfsburg
So proud of this team and so gutted that Wolfsburg goal in the dying minutes of extra-time stole our Gunners Champions League hopes.. onwards and upwards..
COYGW!!
Michelle Maxwell
Follow Michelle on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!
Watch the Arsenal v Wolfsburg highlights here….
Amazing highlights – Arsenal Women heart-broken after last-gasp winner from Wolfsburg
I can only imagine what we would have been able to do,this season without the injuries!!I know we have to qualify for the CL first but I can’t wait for next season,when all the players are back from injuries.on top of that,the manager is planning to bring in more players.