Arsenal Women vs VfL Wolfsburg Women. Women's Champions League Quarter Final.
Emirates StadiumAttendance5,018.
Match report as Arsenal rescued a late draw against Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women's Champions League quarter-final; Tabea Wassmuth's header gave the visitors a first-half lead; they were on course for victory at the Emirates Stadium until Lotte Wubben-Moy's dramatic late strike
Thursday 24 March 2022 09:52, UK
Lotte Wubben-Moy's last-gasp strike earned Arsenal a huge Women's Champions League lifeline as they rescued a 1-1 draw against Wolfsburg in the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Playing at the Emirates for just a fifth time in a competitive match, Jonas Eidevall's side saw plenty of the ball against the Frauen-Bundesliga leaders, but they spurned a number of chances as Tabea Wassmuth's first-half header gave the visitors the lead.
Wolfsburg threatened a second as Wassmuth and Jill Roord hit the post within seconds of each other, and it proved costly as Wubben-Moy's emphatic strike - only her fifth goal for the club - sealed what was looking an unlikely draw for the Women's Super League leaders.
The Gunners will now head to Germany for the second leg at the Volkswagen Arena a week on Thursday (kick-off 5.45pm) with the tie firmly in the balance as they look to win the Champions League for the first time since 2007.
The Gunners, who remain in pursuit of a treble, were well aware of their opponent's threat with Wolfsburg thrashing Chelsea by a 4-0 score in December and a frantic start occurred.
Beth Mead dragged an early effort wide before Svenja Huth headed wide at the other end of the pitch.
Arsenal boss Eidevall had welcomed their opportunity to play at the Emirates, but the visitors went ahead in the 19th minute.
While Manuela Zinsberger was able to deny Wassmuth's initial effort, Wolfsburg were able to keep the move alive and the forward headed home Marie-Joelle Wedemeyer's cross to break the deadlock.
The two-time winners of the competition were in the mood now and Alexandra Popp could only direct another effort off target soon after before the hosts improved after the half-hour mark.
First Stephanie-Elise Catley enjoyed more joy out wide but Katie McCabe was unable to finish off the move and Mead saw an effort saved in the 34th minute by Almuth Schult following a smart turn.
There were no further chances before the break but Arsenal should have levelled immediately after the restart when Vivianne Miedema dropped deep and sent away Noelle Maritz, who was able to pick out Stina Blackstenius but the January recruit could not convert at the back post.
Blackstenius did have the ball in the back of the net with 50 minutes on the clock but the offside flag had already been raised and the home supporters' brief celebrations were cut short.
Wolfsburg almost inflicted more misery on the hour mark but Wassmuth fired against the post when one-on-one and Roord was also denied a goal against her former club by the woodwork.
It was a very even game. It's all set up for a fantastic game in Germany.
An innocuous caution for Mead minutes later added more frustration with the yellow card ruling the Arsenal attacker out of the second leg.
Eidevall waited until the 76th minute to make his first change, with Tobin Heath introduced in place of McCabe.
Zinsberger, who had thwarted Wassmuth before the substitution, continued to be the busier of the two goalkeepers with a save from Huth to keep the deficit at one.
It would prove crucial with Arsenal able to grab a deserved leveller a minute from time.
Substitute Heath fired a low ball into the area where Wubben-Moy controlled and drilled in to ensure there is nothing to separate the teams going into the second leg.
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall on how much Arsenal learned from the game:
"Of course we're still developing but I also said to the team after, yes we will learn, yes we will develop but we have the potential and ability to perform and get results.
"Let's not go in with a mentality to just be happy with good performances, the way we want to go, it has to be both performances and result.
"Let's be that ambitious. We know it's going to be a tough return leg in Germany but we're going to give it everything. The only thing that will make us happy is to go through."
And on having the belief to win the second leg in Germany, he added: "I don't believe anything else.
"I know it will be very different to what it was today. I've been many times away in Germany with teams in Sweden, I know it will be a different game, it will be in front of a different crowd, it will be a different kind of intensity, but if you ask me I believe 100 per cent that we will win, and I will always believe that."
Of course it hurts to concede an equaliser so late, but Arsenal had chances and could have scored one earlier.
The second leg of the quarter-final takes place on Thursday, March 31 at the Volkswagen Arena; kick-off 5.45pm.
Before then, Arsenal have a north London derby in the WSL on Saturday as they host rivals Tottenham at the Emirates; kick-off 2.15pm.
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg travel to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Saturday; kick-off 12pm.
Juventus completed a comeback of their own as they beat Lyon 2-1 in the first leg of their first ever Champions League quarter final.
Lyon took an early lead through Catarina Macario and they looked on course for victory until Ellie Carpenter was sent off after bringing down Lisa Boattin as the last defender.
Cristiana Girelli then grabbed the equaliser for the hosts before substitute Agnese Bonfantini completed the remarkable turnaround just minutes after coming on.
The result means Juve take a slender advantage into their second leg in France on Thursday March 31.
In the first of Tuesday's quarter-final first leg fixtures, PSG beat Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Allianz Arena. A goal either side of half time from Marie-Antoinette Katoto put the French side in control, and though Klara Buhl halved the deficit with seven minutes to play, Bayern could not find the crucial equaliser.
Meanwhile, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 in El Clasico at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano. Olga Carmona gave Real an eighth-minute lead, before two goals from Alexia Putellas and one from Claudia Pina sealed a superb second half comeback from Jonatan Giráldez's Barca.
