UWCL Review: Arsenal & Chelsea book their spot in semi-finals

Arsenal and Chelsea have booked their spot in the final four of the UEFA Women's Champions League, with the Gunners recording a 2-0 win over Bayern while Chelsea won 4-3 on penalties.

Read our review of the action below. 

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Arsenal v Bayern

Arsenal overturned their deficit to book their spot in the semi-finals, after going into the second leg trailing 1-0 to Bayern Munich, the Gunners recorded a 2-0 win in front of 20,000 fans at Emirates Stadium. 

Frida Maanum found the breakthrough for the home side just 20 minutes into the game, with the Norwegian international firing an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

Arsenal Women's Stina Blackstenius celebrates scoring her side's second goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg match between Arsenal and FC Bayern Munchen at Emirates Stadium on March 29, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.
Arsenal Women's Stina Blackstenius celebrates scoring her side's second goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg match between Arsenal and FC Bayern Munchen at Emirates Stadium on March 29, 2023, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo: Katie Chan)

Stina Blackstenius doubled the Gunners' advantage just six minutes later, with Katie McCabe sending in a cross that founder the striker who nodded Arsenal into the lead. 

Caitlin Foord had the chance to add her name to the scoresheet in the second half, with Maria Luisa Grohs making the save to deny a third goal for the home side. 

Jonas Eidevall saw two key players forced off in the fixture, with skipper Kim Little and Katie McCabe coming off injured. Arsenal will now face another German side, taking on Wolfsburg in the semi-finals. 

Wolfsburg v Arsenal 
Date: Saturday, 22 April
Time: TBD

Arsenal v Wolfsburg
Date: Saturday, 29 April
Time: TBD

Lyon v Chelsea

The reigning UWCL champions, Ellie Carpenter's Lyon were aiming to avoid their first elimination at an away ground since departing the 2008/09 semi-finals when they faced Sam Kerr's Chelsea.

Chelsea hosted the second leg at Stamford Bridge, having recorded a 1-0 victory over Lyon last week, the Blues were looking to stop the reigning champions from overturning the deficit. 

Each side exchanged chances at either end, with Carpenter in the thick of the action for Lyon, but it was Kerr that went closest to doubling Chelsea's advantage in the fixture, with Christiane Endler denying the 1v1 effort. 

Carpenter provided the perfect cross for Lyon to help them equal the aggregate, with Delphine Cascarino unable to finish in the final minutes of the first half to send both sides into the break locked at 0-0 in the game. 

Vanessa Gilles finally found the breakthrough for Lyon, scoring the equaliser in the 77th minute after the defender finished from close range. 

Lyon's Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Chelsea and Lyon at Stamford Bridge, in London, on March 30, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Lyon's Vanessa Gilles celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second-leg football match between Chelsea and Lyon at Stamford Bridge, in London, on March 30, 2023. (Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

The game was locked at 1-1 on aggregate, and forced to extra time, with the away goal rule no longer in play in the competition. Sara Däbritz looked to score the match-winner for Lyon in the 110th minute, squeezing her shot into the far corner. 

Chelsea had the chance to make it 2-2 on aggregate when Lauren James was bought down in the box in the 122nd minute, with VAR deciding it was a penalty and Maren Mjelde making no mistake from the spot to send the game into penalties.

Mjelde stepped up to take the first penalty for Chelsea and managed to beat Endler again from 12 yards. Dzsenifer Marozsán replied for Lyon, beating fellow German international Ann-Katrin Berger from the spot. Kerr dispatched her attempt past Endler, firing her shot down the middle of the goal. 

Ada Hegerberg and Jessie Fleming found the back of the net for their respective sides, up stepped captain Wendie Renard for the reigning champions with Renard's attempt saved by Berger. 

Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates scoring the team's second penalty in the shootout during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg match between Chelsea FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stamford Bridge on March 30, 2023 in London, England . (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates scoring the team's second penalty in the shootout during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg match between Chelsea FC and Olympique Lyonnais at Stamford Bridge on March 30, 2023 in London, England . (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Lauren James' also had her attempt saved with Sara Däbritz able to make it 3-3 for Lyon. Jess Carter took the fifth penalty for Chelsea, able to give the Blues the lead. 

Lindsey Horan had to score to keep Lyon's hopes alive, however, Berger was the hero once again and saved the American's shot. Sending Chelsea into the semi-finals where they will face FC Barcelona, a replay of the 2020/21 final.  

Chelsea v Barcelona 
Date: Saturday, 22 April
Time: TBD

Barcelona v Chelsea
Date: Saturday, 29 April
Time: TBD