Champions League
Arsenal failed to qualify for the Women’s Champions League final. The Londoners, with Manuela Zinsberger in goal and right-back Laura Wienroither, who was injured and eliminated, were beaten by VfL Wolfsburg 2-3 after extra time in front of a home crowd on Monday. It was 2-2 after regulation time, and the semi-final first leg in Germany also ended 2-2.
Arsenal took the lead through striker Stine Blackstenius (11) in front of an English women’s club record crowd of 60,000 spectators. The Wolfsburg women equalized before the break through Jill Roord (41st). About a quarter of an hour after the restart, Zinsberger reached behind him a second time, VfL captain Alexandra Popp (58th) hit with a head.
Wienroither came on six minutes later, but she had to be carried off the field after less than 20 minutes with what was probably a serious injury to her left knee. Jen Beattie (75th) made it 2-2 during her brief spell.
Pauline Bremer made the decision in the 119th minute after a mistake by Arsenal’s defence.
In the final on June 3rd in Eindhoven, two-time CL winners Wolfsburg will meet FC Barcelona. The Spaniards, who are in the final for the third time in a row, eliminated Chelsea last week.