Champions League: Wolfsburg women confidently into the semi-finals

Dhe footballers of VfL Wolfsburg made it through to the semi-finals of the Champions League in front of a large home crowd. Coach Tommy Stroot’s team beat Arsenal 2-0 (1-0) in the second leg of the quarter-finals and, after the 1-1 draw in the first leg, can now continue to dream of their third trophy in the premier class.

In the round of the last four, the Wolfsburg team will face defending champions FC Barcelona. In the second semi-final, Bayern Munich’s conquerors from Paris St. Germain and Olympique Lyon face off with national player Dzsenifer Marozsan, who won 3-1 (2-0) against Juventus Turin (first leg 1-2) on Thursday.

“I’m incredibly proud that we showed our true colors today,” said Stroot. The team made it difficult for Arsenal “every minute,” added defender Kathrin Hendrich. The fact that the fans “went along and cheered us on, pure goosebumps.” VfL may have respect for Barcelona, ​​but Wolfsburg also want to “put everything on the pitch” against this team.

In front of a big backdrop

In front of 11,293 spectators in the VW Arena, otherwise the home ground of the VfL men, former Arsenal player Jill Roord (9th) and Leah Williamson (73rd) scored for the Wolfsburg women, who are now on 23./24. April and meet Barcelona a week later. The Spanish top team only set new standards on Wednesday with the premier class home game in front of the world record crowd of 91,553 spectators at the Camp Nou. Playing there one day is a “goal in the back of your mind,” said national goalkeeper Almuth Schult.

Playing in the big stadiums is “very important” for women’s football, and playing the second leg of the quarter-finals in the VW Arena was also Schult’s “personal wish”: “The atmosphere is something special.”

There, three days before the Bundesliga summit against champions Bayern (2:00 p.m.), Wolfsburg, with their own fans behind them, was the game-determining team in the early stages. Roord rewarded the hosts’ offensive efforts right from the start. In front of the eyes of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and some VfL players, the Wolfsburg women didn’t give up and repeatedly came dangerously towards the opposing penalty area.

A little later the ball landed back in the net after a shot by Tabea Waßmuth, but she was ruled offside. Arsenal could hardly get out of their own half, and the Wolfsburg defense was there for the rare attempts. Schult safely parried Steph Catley’s shot (33′). But Svenja Huth (35th) also failed because of Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger.

Even after the break, Wolfsburg initially had the game under control and continued to look for a way forward. But Arsenal became more and more dangerous, but could not use the opportunities efficiently at first. The hostesses, on the other hand, tried to control the game better again. Williamson finally steered the ball into his own goal and thus extended Wolfsburg’s lead.