Key events
A record crowd inbound!
From 2-0 down in the first leg to secure a valuable draw…
Now we’re just one game away from the Champions League final! 🏆
Gooners, we need your support at Emirates Stadium ❤️
46,000 tickets sold and counting 😲
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) April 23, 2023
The referee this afternoon was not falling for anything, especially when Pelova tried to run down the clock with a long walk to be replaced. The official was quick to get her off at the quickest possible point:
Some stats from this tie. Wolfsburg had 55% possession to Arsenal’s 45%, Wolfsburg had 12 attempts with three on target, Arsenal had seven attempts with three on target and Arsenal made 400 passes to Wolfsburg’s 481.
Blackstenius played well all afternoon and so it seemed poetic she was the one who equalised for the visitors. Here is the goal:
Full-time: Wolfsburg 2-2 Arsenal
What a tasty first leg with Arsenal pulling off a remarkable comeback. The hosts raced to a 2-0 advantage but Arsenal snatched a goal back before half-time and Blackstenius equalised. It will be a huge second leg at the Emirates with a record-breaking crowd waiting to watch on.
90 + 5 min: Arsenal do well to close down Wolfsburg again in these closing stages.
90 + 3 min: Arsenal get a free kick from the Oberdorf challenge, Maanum will take it and it has too much on it so Frohms clears.
90 + 3 min: Oberdorf okay to continue here, Oberdorf herself gets a yellow.
90 + 2 min: Oberdorf fouls Walti and McCabe comes in and pushes her to the floor! McCabe gets a yellow, that is a poor decision from the captain. Oberdorf is still down here, maybe trying to get more from this? She is receiving treatment.
90 + 1 min: There will be four minutes added.
90 min: Wilms does well to stop McCabe run, Arsenal are on the hunt again though. McCabe gets in in the box but Wilms heads away. Wolfsburg are countering but Jonsdottir’s pass is cut out by Arsenal’s defence. Arsenal make another change with Kuhl on for Pelova
88 min: A long range pass has way too much on it from Janssen and Arsenal have a goal kick. Huth pops the ball over the top and Wassmuth can’t get to it”! She would have been offside anyway if she got a touch.
86 min: Wolfsburg know how important it will be to have the upper hand heading into the match at the Emirates and are throwing everything at this. Wassmuth passes into the area but Jonsdottir can’t get to it!
84 min: Huth lays it off to Roord who takes a shot. Roord is furious as she believes there was handball but nothing is given. Pajor passes to Roord whose shot is blocked, Wolfsburg are on fire right now.
82 min: Wolfsburg being patient on their build-up and work it to the edge of the box. Wilms crosses in and Roord’s shot is just wide of goal. I had an intake of breath though, it seemed the play slowed down, so close!
80 min: McCabe is okay to continue in this one, a great sign for Arsenal.
79 min: Arsenal are managing the game well at the moment. Just as the ball comes in though it rebounds off a Wolfsburg foot into McCabe’s head. A short break in play as she receives treatment.
78 min: Wolfsburg win it back from the throw in as they seek to get their lead back. The attempt ends with the ball at Zinberger’s feet. McCabe work it to the edge of the box and the cross comes in but Maanum’s header is just over the bar. Jonsdottir is challenged from Wienroither but the referee doesn’t give a free kick, much to the crowd’s dismay.
76 min: Blackstenius wins a free kick in Arsenal’s half and Beattie’s kick is straight out of play. Wubben-Moy wins a throw in and Jonsdottir is furious at the call.
74 min: Wilms gets it into the box but Beattie clears. Wassmuth pops it back in, Wolfsburg are throwing everything at the goal now, Huth takes a long range shot but Zinsberger collects. 22,617 people are watching in the crowd, a record for a Wolfsburg home game.
72 min: If Wolfsburg don’t pull off a win here they will be ruing their missed chances. Arsenal have stuck in this and displayed real determination to come back from being 2-0 down.
70 min: Arsenal make a change with Wienroither coming on for Catley. Wow, what a turnaround from Arsenal. What a moment.
GOAL! Wolfsburg 2-2 Arsenal (Blackstenius, 69′)
Some good build-up play from Arsenal, particularly through McCabe. Maanum picks it up and passes to Blackstenius who taps home! Huge goal.
68 min: Wilms works the ball well around the box and finds Wassmuth but her pass is won but Arsenal. Walti then wins a free kick to relieve some pressure, the visitors building from deep. Wolfsburg collect the resulting kick though and do well to get a chance. Jonsdottir crosses it in but the chance sails over the bar from Wassmuth.
66 min: The commentators have mad a great point there, Wolfsburg have an entire bench of players who could be starters. But with Arsenal’s wave of injuries, there bench is full over inexperienced players, it will be intriguing as to the changes Eidevall makes. Arsenal are continuing their pressure but Wolfsburg’s defence is holding strong for now.
64 min: Boos ring around the stadium for Zinsberger. Catley takes the kick but Brand heads away, Maritz looks to cross but it is closed down. Wolfsburg make a change with Wassmuth on for Brand.
62 min: The question will come as to if Zinsberger is actually injured or if they are using it to their advantage to have a word with Eidevall ahead of the corner. The whole team came over to the manager. Zinsberger seems okay to continue.
61 min: Blackstenius passes and the cross comes in but Jonsdottir blocks really well to see off the danger. Maritz wins a corner from a throw in, could this be where they equalise? There is a break in play with Zinsberger down.
60 min: Brand gets it in the box again and lays it off to Rauch but Arsenal again read it to close it down. Oberdorf receives a pass in a dangerous position and can’t control, Arsenal counter well through McCabe and she lays it off to Blackstenius but it has too much on it.
58 min: Blackstenius makes a great run but no one is in the box and so she tries to keep it but Rauch wins it back. She puts in a long pass to Pajor but it has too much on it and goes out. Maanum gets in on the edge of the box but she gives away free kick with a foul on Hendrich, Wolfsburg play it out.
57 min: Brand makes a good run into the box but her pass, seeking Roord, is cut out by Arsenal. She took a touch too much on that, she could have had a shot herself.
55 min: Possession is exchanging hands a lot here now, Maritz gives it away with a foul on halfway. A scrappy start to the second half.
53 min: Arsenal play it out from the back again, a risky decision considering that is how Wolfsburg scored their second goal. The hosts now have it and are being patient in their build-up, it comes to Huth who sends it in but it’s headed away. Brand fouls McCabe and she wins it back.
51 min: Rafaelle closes down a chance as Wolfsburg run it through the team. The DAZN stream broke up there so I don’t know why but Arsenal have a free kick in their own half. They play it out from deep.
49 min: Blackstenius does well to win a throw in under pressure. She then wins a corner, the set piece key to Arsenal’s play so far. Catley takes the kick but it is headed away by Oberdorf. Maanum plays it back in but Beattie can’t quite get to it.
47 min: A sublime long ball comes to Rauch in the box and she tries to find Brand but Arsenal deal with it for now. McCabe loses it on the edge of the box but Brand can’t get it in the back of the net. Nervy scenes for the visitors.
Back underway! Wolfsburg 2-1 Arsenal
It is all to play for here, Wolfsburg will want to capitalise on the home crowd and put a few more past Arsenal. But the momentum has shifted with Arsenal’s goal before half-time.
It would be a huge result if Arsenal can level or even win this leg after going 2-0 down, they looked out of this with Wolfsburg in control. But the Rafaelle header has them back in and it sets up an exciting second 45.
The other two goals in this thrilling tie so far:
Here is the best of the goals so far, Pajor’s beautiful strike! I’ll bring you the other goals when I track down the videos:
Half-time: Wolfsburg 2-1 Arsenal
Jonsdottir has a chance at the end of the half but it’s just over the bar. What a half we have been treated to! It was a glorious opener from Pajor and a defensive blunder to give Jonsdottir her goal. But Rafaelle has got Arsenal right back in this with a critical header.
GOAL! Wolfsburg 2-1 Arsenal (Rafaelle, 45′)
Rafaelle heads home from the corner kick to get Arsenal back in this! Huge moment.
44 min: Arsenal work it into the box again with Maanum getting a good shot away, Frohms does well to save and sees it out for a corner.
44 min: Arsenal get in a good position again but Catley’s pass to Blackstenius has too much on it, it is the last pass that is letting Arsenal down at the moment. There is a lot of promise but just the final play needs to pay off.
42 min: Arsenal get it to the box and the ball comes in but it has too much on it for Maanum and Frohms collects. Wolfsburg run it through the team and Oberdorf attempts to cross in but Beattie closes down the chance. McCabe wins a free kick and Arsenal can clear the pressure.
40 min: Pajor does well to dispossess Walti but they can’t control it to create a chance. Arsenal win a free kick in their own half and they have to build from deep once again.
38 min: Rafaelle pops the ball to Blackstenius but she is dispossessed, The arsenal player appealed for a free kick but it wasn’t given. Possession exchanges hands but eventually it is controlled by Arsenal who look to pounce. Blackstenius is pulled back though and it is in Wolfsburg’s hands.
36 min: Arsenal have a free kick in their own half, Beattie takes it but they are building from deep. It would be good for Arsenal if they could score before half-time, at the moment it doesn’t seem possible with Wolfsburg in control. The hosts win back the ball and they are being patient in their build-up. Huth crosses in but Zinsberger calmly collects.
34 min: Pelova wanted a foul there in the midfield but it isn’t given and Wolfsburg are on the attack. Martiz does well to smother the chance. Jonsdottir wins it back and gets into the box but Walti does enough to close it down without gifting a penalty.
32 min: Catley takes the corner, Frohms gets a punch on it. It ends at Beattie’s feet but her resulting shot it blocked! Arsenal’s best chance of the game so far.
30 min: Arsenal need to be the next the score and Roord gifts Arsenal a free kick with a shirt tug on McCabe. She gets a yellow card for her efforts. Maanum and Catley are over the set piece, it’s Maanum who takes the kick but it is over the top from Oberdorf for a corner.
