Wolfsburg dump Chelsea Ladies out of Champions League
Wednesday 18 November 2015 18:22, UK
Chelsea Ladies bowed out of the Champions League at the hands of two-time winners Wolfsburg as they were defeated 2-0 in their last-16 tie second leg.
The FA Women's Super League champions travelled to Germany with a 2-1 deficit following the home leg and found themselves further behind early on, through a 30-yard Vanessa Bernauer strike.
Emma Hayes' side went close to finding the net on more than one occasion, but a Claire Rafferty own goal put the tie to bed as Wolfsburg progressed to the quarter-finals.
Chelsea thwarted a dangerous Caroline Graham Hansen run early on but the hosts were soon ahead, when Bernauer controlled a clearance with her chest and fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
The Blues threatened briefly at the other end before Babett Peter shot wide for the German side on the half-hour mark - but Chelsea battled back and finished the half on the front foot.
Ji So-yun had claims for a penalty waved away early in the second half, while Eni Aluko was denied by the crossbar following good link-up play with Fran Kirby.
Kirby was next to come close, sticking out a left boot to meet a teasing Gemma Davison cross only to watch her effort fly high and wide of the target.
However, disaster struck 20 minutes from time when a low cross from Alexandra Popp deflected off Rafferty and into the Chelsea goal to seal the win for Wolfsburg.
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Wolfsburg (4-2-3-1): Merle Frohms; Noelle Maritz, Nilla Fischer; Babett Peter; Anna Blasse; Vanessa Bernauer, Lena Goessling (Elise Bussaglia 85); Lara Dickenmann (Ewa Pajor 65), Alexandra Popp, Caroline Graham Hansen; Ramona Bachmann (Verena Faisst 72)
Substitutes not used: Jana Burmeister, Zsanett Jakabfi, Tessa Wullaert, Julia Simic
Bookings: Lena Goessling (44)
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hedvig Lindahl; Ana Borges (Hannah Blundell 71), Gilly Flaherty, Niamh Fahey, Claire Rafferty; Millie Bright, Katie Chapman; Gemma Davison (Laura Coombs 80), Ji So-yun (Drew Spence 83), Eni Aluko; Fran Kirby
Substitutes not used: Marie Hourihan, Laura Rafferty, Anne Meiwald, Rosella Ayane
Bookings: Claire Rafferty (11)
Attendance: 1,632
