Live Blog: Wolfsburg Frauen v Arsenal Women- Arsenal come from 2-0 down to equalise!
Freddie Cardy is at the Volkswagen Arena with live updates of Arsenal Women's first Champions League semi final in ten years.
Live BLog Sunday Apr 23rd
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FULL TIME: Wolfsburg 2-2 Arsenal. This Arsenal team are the comeback queens, that was a special effort from the Gunners and it's all to play for at the Emirates.
Oberdorf and McCabe are booked. 2-2
90+1 It's kicking off. Oberdorf wipes out an Arsenal player from behind and Katie McCabe throws her to the floor! 2-2
4 minutes added on. 2-2
Kathrine Kuhl is on for Victoria Pelova, who tries to make the long walk back across the pitch but is denied doing so! 2-2
87' A searching pass almost finds Wassmuth, who looked to be offside. Who would have thought when Jonsdottir slammed home Wolfsburg's second that Arsenal would have been in this position with a few minutes remaining of the first leg? 2-2
84' Good pack post run by Jonsdottir but the cross just evades her and is behind for a goal kick. Squeaky bum time for the travelling Arsenal fans now. 2-2
81' Wolfsburg are mere inches from going 3-2 up! Hearts were in mouths as Frohms teed up Jill Roord, who's shot curled wide of the far post, going through the legs of Rafaelle. 2-2
79' Katie McCabe receives treatment after Willms clears the ball straight into her face. No doubt that she will continue. 2-2
79' The first signs of Arsenal running down the clock as the referee urges Wienroither to get on with her throw in. 2-2
76' Down the other end McCabe finds space once again, setting up Maanum who heads behind. 2-2
76' Wassmuth's header into the box is blocked by Rafaelle. Shouts for handball are waved away. 2-2
Attendance at the Volkswagen Arena is 22,617. Prepare for this to be doubled, and more, at the Emirates. 2-2
73' Huth's long range effort is scuffed into the hands of Zinsberger. 2-2
71' 19 minutes left plus added time. This Arsenal team just never know when they are beaten, sensational. 2-2
2-2!
Another swift attacking move from the Gunners, Pelova's low cross is perfect and it's the easiest goal Blackstenius will ever score! 2-1
70' STINA BLACKSTENIUS HAS EQUALISED FOR ARSENAL! 2-2
67' Sloppy from Wubben-Moy and Jonsdottir's cross is volleyed over by Wassmuth on her left foot. 2-1
63' Arsenal's corner comes to nothing. Wolfsburg introduce Tabea Wassuth from the bench, who scored their opener in the first leg of last season's quarter final against the Gunners. Brand is the player withdrawn. 2-1
61' A erm- tactical timeout injury for Manu Zinsberger- let's hope Emma Hayes isn't watching. 2-1
60' Great run by Katie McCabe who cuts inside but her cross can't pick out Stina Blackstenius. Arsenal looking a threat on the counter- Maritz's low cross is then blocked. 2-1
58' Maanum bursts past her marker and would have been through on goal but referee Kateryna Monzul blows for a foul. 2-1
57' Blackstenius makes a run down the right but nothing comes of it- looked like she would have been offside anyway. 2-1
55' Brand breaks free into the box but squares the ball straight to Arsenal's Frida Maanum to the groans of the Wolfsburg faithful. 2-1
53' Cheers from the Arsenal fans as Catley intercepts Jonsdottir's raking pass to Rauch before Beattie clears. 2-1
50' Walti dragged down on the edge of the box. 2-1
48' Good spell from the Gunners- Catley's corner is dealt with before Beattie's header goes wide. 2-1
47' Poor defending by Arsenal to start the second half but nothing comes of the Wolfsburg attack. 2-1
Back underway in the second half! 2-1
Wolfsburg are back out first to a brief burst of Enter Sandman by Metallica, before Arsenal follow. Noelle Maritz on the right hand side will have the Arsenal fans in earshot.
Arsenal fans would have feared the worst when Jonsdottir doubled Wolfsburg's lead, and the Gunners were outclassed in that first half. Can they at least bring a 2-1 defeat back to the Emirates, where almost 50,000 will roar them on in the second leg? The second half is just around the corner.
Half time: After an even start Ewa Pajor gave Wolfsburg the lead before Rafaelle's error put the ball on a plate for Jonsdottir, who had the simplest of tasks to make it 2-0 to the home side. Somehow, Arsenal kept the hosts at bay and had their goal on the stroke of half time, when Rafaelle's header gave them a lifeline in the tie.
45+1' Jonsdottir fires her shot over the bar and that is half time. Wolfsburg 2-1 Arsenal.
45' ARSENAL HAVE A LIFELINE! Catley's corner is powered home by Rafaelle and the Gunners halve their deficit on the stroke of half time. Great header that might just make up for her mistake earlier. 2-1
44' Best move of the first half from Arsenal- Maanum finds some space but it's a narrow angle. Her fearsome shot is driven straight at Frohms and behind for a corner. 2-0
42' Again Blackstenius is in behind and takes the ball past the goalkeeper but she just over-runs it out of play. 2-0
41' Late challenge on McCabe by Oberdorf after Jen Beattie heads clear. 2-0
38' Blackstenius cuts inside on the left but is denied by a combination of Huth and Hendrich. 2-0
35' Brand's cross is gathered by Zinsberger. 2-0
32' The switch to a back three worked to Arsenal's favour on Wednesday night but Wolfsburg are exploiting the gaps really well- Arsenal's defence is at sixes and sevens and needs someone to take charge. Good defending from Maritz to deny Jonsdottir. 2-0
30' McCabe can't get a shot away from the corner but Beattie can, her effort is blocked. 2-0
30' It's a good delivery and Lena Oberdorf heads it behind for a corner, to spark some loud chanting from the travelling Arsenal fans. 2-0
28' Arsenal have to keep their wits about them now. They started the game well but those two goals in five minutes have given them a huge mountain to climb. A free kick for them now on the left hand side. 2-0
27' Jonsdottir heads over the bar from close range. This could get messy if Arsenal aren't careful. 2-0
26' What are Arsenal doing!? Rafaelle plays the ball straight back into the middle of the box and Jonsdottir has a tap in to double Wolfsburg's lead. 2-0
Goal! Wolfsburg 2-0 Arsenal! Calamity for the Gunners
24' Pajor goes one way and the other up against her marker but drags the shot wide. 1-0
22' Heatbreak for the Gunners who had just started to push a few more players forward after a tidy start to the game, but they've been punished by this season's UWCL top scorer Ewa Pajor, who had nerves of steel. 1-0
Ewa Pajor drives through the Arsenal defence to give Wolfsburg the lead and the crowd erupts at the Volkswagen Arena.
19' GOAL! Wolfsburg 1-0 Arsenal
17' Deep cross from Jonsdottir is over the head of Pajor, who can be a real threat in the air. 0-0
15' Arsenal clear their lines after Jonsdottir's long throw in was headed away. 0-0
13' Maanum plays through Blackstenius who is a long way offside. There is a delay in the flag going up as VAR is in operation. 0-0
12' Rafaelle works the ball wide to Catley but her cross is too close to Frohms. 0-0
10' McCabe fouls former Gunner Jill Roord, who left the club two years ago to join Wolfsburg, but her contract is up in the summer and many top clubs are interested in the Dutch midfielder.
7' Lia Walti is down but will be ok to continue as both teams check-in with their managers during the stoppage. Relatively composed start by Arsenal, which Jonas Eidevall will be pleased with. 0-0
4' Zinsberger has to be quick off her line to gather after Jonsdottir made a good run in behind Wubben-Moy. 0-0
Arsenal kicking from left to right in their red and white. Wolfsburg in lime green.
UNDERWAY!
The teams are out, we've heard the UWCl anthem and kick off is moments away!
There is now the sound of a Wolf howling being played out of the speakers...
There is some atmosphere here this afternoon though. The tannoy may have butchered most of the Arsenal names but the crowd are bellowing out their support for the Wolfsburg squad as we prepare for kick off.
At least 20,000 are in attendance at the Volkswagen Arena before a minimum of 46,000 watch the second leg at the Emirates on May 1st. Arsenal simply have to give themselves something to play for in that second leg.
Make that Newcastle 5-0 Spurs after 21 minutes. Can you watch Match of the Day 2 in Germany?
15 minutes until Arsenal's first Champions League since 2013! Their opponents then? Wolfsburg- it didn't go Arsenal's way then, and the Gunners have a huge task on their hands here today.
16 year old Laila Harbert was called up into Arsenal's Champions League squad, and she's on the bench today.
In other news, Spurs men are 3-0 down to Newcastle in the FA Cup semi final. Just thought I'd let you all know...
Make sure to follow me on twitter @cardyfreddie for plenty of pictures and video footage from the Volkswagen Arena as both sides warm up. We've got the thoughts of Jonas Eidevall and Jen Beattie elsewhere on the Gooner Fanzine website too ahead of this one.
The weather forecast looked gloomy this morning but it's a beautiful day here in Lower Saxony. The sun is shining and Arsenal fans were enjoying themselves earlier today as they got together at Sausolitos Bar in the city centre!
It's a Wolfsburg side stacked with quality- they may be without the talismanic Alex Popp, current Frauen Bundesliga top scorer this season, due to injury, but Tommy Stroot's side can hurt Arsenal in many different ways. It's no wonder that Jonas Eidevall labelled their attack as one of the best in Europe yesterday.
As expected Jonas Eidevall has gone with a back 5, with Wubben-Moy and Rafaelle either side of Jen Beattie.
Arsenal: Zinsberger, Rafaelle, Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Catley, Maanum, Walti, McCabe, Maritz, Pelova, Blackstenius.
Wolfsburg: Frohms (GK), Wilms, Hendrich, Oberdorf, Janssen, Pajor, Huth (C), Rauch, Roord, Jonsdottir, Brand.
The team news is in...
Hello and welcome to the Volkswagen Arena for the first leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League semi final between Wolfsburg and Arsenal!