Only a week ago, the footballers at VfL Wolfsburg were reminded of this saying, which is often said in sport and has already fed one or the other phrase pig: It’s only over when it’s over. They were shown in a more uncomfortable way that this is often true. In the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League at Arsenal London, they looked like the winners for a long time. With a tight result thanks to an early goal by Tabea Wassmuth, but like winners. Until Charlotte Wubben-Moy ensured in the 89th minute that the tension for the second leg was greater than the Germans would have liked.
On Thursday evening at 2-0 (1-0) it was Jill Roord who gave VfL Wolfsburg an early lead again. Arsenal’s defense failed to get the ball under control after a corner, and Sveindís Jónsdóttir finally lobbed the ball to Roord, who acrobaticly volleyed it over the line in the 9th minute from a turn past London goalkeeper and former Bayern Munich player Manuela Zinsberger. Tabea Wassmuth, just offside, missed an early decision soon after (17th) and so this game acquired a certain similarity to the one a few days ago.
The Wolfsburg women put the guests under pressure from the start, yes, they were downright stressed. Arsenal could hardly get into a rhythm, let alone build up play. They lost the ball far too quickly and were busy fending off attacks instead of being able to take care of their own structure. The English women hardly made it dangerously into the opposing half. VfL, on the other hand, created good chances.
An Arsenal own goal keeps the Wolfsburg women’s chance for their third Champions League title
After eight years, coach Tommy Stroot’s team played in the Volkswagen Arena again. 11,295 spectators came and ensured that the scenery in Wolfsburg was absolutely presentable. As of Wednesday there were 27,262 in Paris’s Prinzenpark who saw Saint-Germain’s victory over FC Bayern Munich. However, FC Barcelona caused a sensation, with 91,553 people attending the game against Real Madrid – more than ever before at a women’s soccer game. world record.
They were a long way from that in Lower Saxony, but it was probably more important for VfL Wolfsburg that from the 73rd minute they could be a little more certain of reaching the next round. Arsenal became more offensively dangerous after the break and the previously rarely employed VfL goalkeeper Almuth Schult was now in demand and proved herself several times. Somewhat surprisingly, she was allowed to cheer again.
Jónsdóttir played an actually harmless cross from the left in the direction of the goal area, Arsenal’s Leah Williamson wanted to clear in front of the left post – and steered the ball into his own goal to make it 2-0, which was unstoppable for Zinsberger. Both teams then had the opportunity to change something about this result. But when it was actually over, one thing was certain: Wolfsburg made it into the semi-finals of the Champions League again and kept their chance of winning their third title after 2013 and 2014. The backdrop should then be impressive again. Opponent is defending champion FC Barcelona.