An Arsenal onslaught with three goals in 13 second-half minutes saw the Gunners overturn Real Madrid’s 2-0 first-leg lead to set up a Champions League semi-final with Lyon following their 3-2 aggregate victory.
The Gunners blew their visitors away from the first whistle following the interval. Even with Real kicking off, it took only 44 seconds before Chloe Kelly’s cross was turned home from close range by Alessia Russo to spark the comeback into life.
Real had proved a tough nut to crack for wasteful Arsenal before half-time but collapsed following Russo’s opener.
What remained of their lead was snatched away three minutes later when Mariona Caldentey’s header, from another Kelly cross, slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Misa to level the tie.
Fittingly, Russo saved the best goal, which proved to be the winner, for just 10 minutes later, lashing Steph Catley’s knock-down into the roof of the net from a free-kick, with the forward in disbelief at the speed of the Gunners’ comeback.
Russo twice thought she had sealed Arsenal’s place in the final four – and the match ball for herself – in the closing stages but saw both goals ruled out for offsides.
The hosts survived a rare Real Madrid scare late on when Linda Caicedo shot straight at Daphne van Domselaar, but were otherwise rarely troubled at the Emirates in front of a record crowd at this stage of the Women’s Champions League of 22,517.
The victory, which had looked such a tough ask with only 45 minutes of the tie left, sets up a double-header with French champions Lyon in the final four, on the midweeks of April 19-20 and April 26-27.
More to follow…
