Arsenal teach Chelsea a Champions League lesson in clinical finishing

London — on Tuesday, armory showed why they live uefa women’s champions league And chelsea Not there. It was such a dominant performance from the title holders that even two disallowed goals for the visitors could not diminish the Gunners’ ease into the back of the net.

Chelsea didn’t need reminding of what Arsenal were capable of doing last summer, beating them barcelona To earn a second Champions League trophy. Yet the Blues were given front row seats to see what a clinical European performance looks like 3-1 The loss was, at times, a poor performance by Sonia Bompastor’s charges.

Arsenal scored early and took a 2-0 lead. Stina Blackstenius — who scored the winner in the final in Lisbon last season — headed home Katie McCabefree kick, after chloe kellyThe shot from distance went into the back of the net.

The Gunners knew they would only have a few crucial chances – 11 in total and six on target – and they made sure to finish off the crucial ones early on to leave Chesley on the back foot. That is why they are the only English team to lift the prestigious trophy.

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Although they lost control of the game early on, Chelsea responded late in the first half and managed to get the ball into the back of the net. It was believed that this was the goal that brought Chelsea back into the game.

Instead, it turned the match upside down.

Veerle Burman had risen higher than Lia Codina To point the ball home, but referee Alina Pesu deemed it fair Netherlands The international fouled an Arsenal defender in the process. It was a soft decision, but VAR was never going to overturn the referee’s on-field decision.

“I don’t think any player on the field, other than the referee, honestly said it was a foul.” lucy bronze Told Disney+. “But I think as soon as the referee gives it, VAR will not overturn it.

“It was disappointing because I think we could have got the momentum back a little bit and then it took a little bit longer. It would have been an important goal to score at half-time. And I think we probably could have got back into the game even more in the second half.”

Had that first goal not been disallowed, the nature of the game would have been very different and could have been the key to inspiring Chelsea’s comeback.

In fact, Chelsea looked tired lauren james There was a moment of magic to send a wonderful strike like yours into the top corner, but it didn’t put enough fight into the team. Some careless defending was allowed from the visitors. alessia russo To achieve the third goal.

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The referee then disallowed another Chelsea goal due to a goalkeeper error. Anneke Borbe In the final stages of the game. The decision was given much more clearly Kadisha BuchananThere was a collision with Bourbe, and Arsenal stood firm to maintain the lead in the second leg.

It looks like Rennie Slager’s side are peaking at the right time. After a slow start to the season, and suffered a 2–1 defeat in the competition ol lyonnesThe Gunners are hitting their stride when it matters most.

This time last season, they were going through the second leg of the quarter-finals with a 2–0 defeat real Madrid. To overturn that result, required mental resilience that many have admired. But now to maintain our lead, a different kind of mentality will be required. They are now certain to defeat and, after beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at the start of the season, they will feel confident about their chances.

It would be wrong to blame Chelsea’s entire problems on the referee. He had two important chances early in the evening, one through alyssa thompson and one from James that both of them did woodworking, something they would both later regret.

Despite once being praised for the team’s depth, the Blues have suffered from injuries. They had no number 9 to call Sam Kerr absent, and Mayra Ramirez And Aggie Beaver-Jones Injured. caterina macario – although not yet announced – is no longer a Chelsea player, sources have said, and Guro Riten left the club for Gotham FC next to nwsl Window closing.

The Blues are also short of defenders Nathalie Bjorn, niam charles And Millie Bright Was out due to various injuries. Matildas will be boosted by the return of duo Kerr and ellie carpenter From Women’s Asian Cup Duties for the second phase. However, Arsenal will do the same steph catley, Caitlin Ford And kyra cooney-cross Everyone is also returning home. All five were unavailable due to fatigue after Australia 1-0 damage to Japan In last Saturday’s Asian Cup final.

This is still effectively half time on the tie. With the second leg at home, Chelsea will be hoping to overcome their two-goal deficit to reach the semi-finals. they did it against Manchester City Last season, so hope is not lost. Indeed, if Chelsea want to be successful and reach the semi-finals of the competition, they will need to keep James fit and get him the ball in key areas.

Ironically, James’ goal was the best goal of the evening. He was a ray of hope in Chelsea’s games and could make things from scratch, even having the courage to chip an audacious ball over the backline to set up his teammates.

He has been in good form since returning from a long absence due to injury and Chelsea have spoiled him in earlier results when it mattered most. And nothing really matters much to Chelsea anymore. There is nowhere to hide, and a devastating loss would not be compensated for by their League Cup win and a possible FA Cup victory, as they would have to return their league trophy after holding it for six years. Man City are nine points ahead of them, eight points ahead Manchester United In seconds.

The pressure couldn’t be greater when they host Arsenal, and the second leg next week will define their season.