Impact news on the UEFA Women’s Champions League. One of the semi-finalists of the last edition, Arsenal, is eliminated at the first change. The Gunners have not even been able to get past the first qualifying round, played as a mini-tournament in a single venue. Paris FC completed the surprise in the penalty shootout (2-4) after 3-3 at the end of extra time.
Without Leah Williamson or Vivianne Miedema, with long-term injuries, and also without Laia Codinawhich, despite being registered, did not travel to Linköping (Sweden). But with a long list of World Cup winners, such as Steph Catley, Amanda Ilestedt, Noëlle Maritz, Lina Hurtig, Alessia Russo, Blackstenius, Cloé Lacasse… In other words, a major disappointment.
These previous rounds are a danger for this type of team, with the national competition not yet started and with the machinery yet to be greased. Furthermore, this year, with the added component of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which has further conditioned the preparation for the qualifying phase. Not only Arsenal have been left out, but also Juventus (played group stage last year). Already a year ago, another English team had been left out in this instance, such as Manchester City, then knocked out by Real Madrid.
Arsenal played with fire and ended up getting burned. Already on Wednesday, in the semi-final match against Linköping, they had a hard time opening the scoring, although they finally ended up winning 3-0. However, in the final against Paris FC they could not even take advantage. In fact, was losing by up to two goals with Mathilde Bourdieu’s double in the 56th and 57th minutes. Of course, the English push, with center back Jen Beattie as ‘9’, sent the duel to extra time.
Everything led to think that the inertia of the match, in addition to the theoretical Gunner superiority, would mean the comeback. But the French team went ahead again and forced Arsenal to fight again, who equalized with a double from Alessia Russo. The English international, architect of keeping his team aliveended up being negative protagonist in the penalty shootoutnot being able to beat Chiamaka Repair, who danced to celebrate the stop. Afterwards, Louna Ribadeira converted her penalty and sentenced Arsenal from reaching the final less than half a year ago… to not even reaching the second qualifying round.
Daniel Domínguez is an all-terrain journalist. Born in Madrid in 1999, he graduated in Journalism from the Carlos III University of Madrid and is facing his first major professional experience at Relevo. He grew up in ElGoldeMadriz, a medium that covers modest football in the Community of Madrid, where he trained close to the protagonists in the environment in which he most likes to be: the regional football fields. So much so that he only has one team: Santa Ana, of which he is a proud fan. In 2020 and 2021 he was editor of the La Liga Brand Guide. But man does not live on bread alone and football is not the only thing he consumes. He is also passionate about sports and lacks screens to follow all the latest sports news. …
2023-09-09 17:09:16
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