Key occasions
40 minutes: Bronze comes throughout and clears the ball, ending up on the deck after being caught by Smith. The Chelsea defender thinks she deserves a free-kick however the referee awards Arsenal the throw.
38 minutes: Carpenter will get into an excellent place on the proper however makes the unsuitable resolution, sending the ball to the byline and Nusken can’t maintain it in.
36 minutes: Chelsea can’t discover any gaps and are beginning to panic.
34 minutes: Carpenter wrestles Russo to the bottom and receives a ticking off from the ref. Arsenal will to be happy to kill a couple of extra seconds of the sport.
The subsequent Chelsea foul is in an excellent place for Arsenal, 24 yards from purpose in a central place after Smith is clipped by Buchanan. McCabe strains it up … however it involves nothing.
32 minutes: James twists and turns, earlier than flashing a cross however Wubben-Moy is there to dam. Stopping James appears to be the largest process her for Arsenal.
Thompson is the subsequent to trigger Arsenal some issues, getting in down the left and will get into an excellent capturing place contained in the field however fires over.
Kári Tulinius emails: “All season I’ve been telling myself that, since Arsenal won the Champions League last year, whatever happens now I can just bask in the glow of fond memories. However, now that the semifinals feel close enough to touch, I’m starting to get the fear. Happily, though, the team seems perfectly calm and composed. I, however, am gripping the armrests like I’m on an especially turbulent flight.”
30 minutes: Carpenter latches onto a go excessive from Bronze and fires a low cross alongside the five-yard line however nobody is there to show it in.
28 minutes: It needs to be stated neither goalkeeper has actually been examined but …
26 minutes: Foord receives the ball in an excellent place on the left and cuts in to shoot however once more it’s a weak effort.
Arsenal need a foul after Nuskens takes down Caldentey on the sting of the field. The Chelsea gamers will get nothing of the ball however the referee isn’t .
24 minutes: Arsenal attain the sting of the Chelsea field however momentum stops there and the assault breaks down after a weak Caldentey shot.
22 minutes: James is being allowed to roam everywhere in the pitch, she’s been in every single place from right-back to left-wing already. I feel Bompastor is providing her the liberty as a result of she is aware of the harm she will be able to do.
Smith drives into the field and Nuskens slides in, performing the proper sort out to solely give away a nook. If she will get it even barely unsuitable, it’s a penalty.
20 minutes: Nusken appears to bundle her manner by means of the Arsenal defence however she is held up 18 yards from purpose.
Arsenal look to interrupt however Bronze is there to tidy up, solely to ship a quite ropey backpass to Hampton who offers with the bobbling ball nicely.
18 minutes: Cuthbert is searching for James on the proper and the Scot sends a go to the wing however the England worldwide is on her heels and watches it exit for a throw.
16 minutes: Arsenal are stepping into this sport. Little cleanly hits the ball however sees it blocked. They have efficiently silenced the group and at the moment are trying to get on high.
Foord breezes previous Carpenter on the wing and will get into the field however her shot is a weak one.
Down the opposite finish, the ball drops to Thompson on the sting however she drags her effort simply broad.
14 minutes: McCabe is allowed to run about 15 yards unchallenged, giving her the prospect to fireplace a shot at purpose from 20 yards however drive is at all times rising.
12 minutes: Arsenal’s first effort, unsurprisingly, comes from Russo however her low drive from the sting of the field is straight at Hampton.
10 minutes: Chelsea have had greater than 90% possession so far. I’m not positive that’s sustainable for Arsenal. I respect they’ve the cushion however they may want extra ambition.
8 minutes: Carpenter does nice work down the proper and picks out Nusken within the field however she sends her shot broad, regardless of being below no stress 12 yards out. She can be pissed off by not no less than testing the goalkeeper.
6 minutes: James has dropped in between to Chelsea centre-backs, such is her eagerness to get on the ball.
4 minutes: Arsenal have barely had a contact within the first couple of minutes. Chelsea are knocking it round and James is attempting to make a nuance of herself. She places in a cross from deep, which earns a nook on the left. The set-piece is fastidiously constructed, permitting Walsh to clip the ball to the again publish, inflicting a second of panic earlier than the hazard is cleared.
2 minutes: Chelsea get the ball ahead rapidly, keen to place the Arsenal defence however the Gunners don’t have any points. They have a purpose kick and the referee thinks Van Domselaar is taking too lengthy and has an early phrase about timewasting.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The gamers are out …
Sonia Bompastor: “I think our job is to make sure we produce good football and good performance, to bring the fans with us, because I think they can make an impact and a difference for the players. They can bring the extra energy the players need in these types of games. Hopefully, it will be good for us to put on a good performance and create a good scenario.”
Renée Slegers: “I think all the games we’ve played against Chelsea this season have been very, very tight. We expect a battle tonight as well. For us, we were happy with the results and parts of our performance in the home game. For us tonight, it starts 0-0.”
Charles Antaki emails: “Arsenal fans will be a bit perturbed to hear that Leah Williamson is still not recovered enough to take part. She had a cameo 10 minutes a while back, but seems to have regressed. Catley thankfully is back from International duty, and makes a serviceable pair alongside Wubben-Moy, but it’s looking a bit light otherwise; and neither of them have quite the authority (of the passing range) of Williamson. Expect some wobbles at the back, and Caldentey having to come deep to pick up the ball. Could be fine; should be fine.”
Erin Cuthbert: “I mean as a player you just want the next game to come. I just wanted the next game and the second leg to be the next day. Of course we were disappointed. A few decisions went against us, didn’t play our best in the second half. The goal by LJ, we’ve stayed alive in the tie.Still got a big deficit to overturn. But you know, if there’s a dressing room that can do it, it’s the one in there. This is only half-time.”
Getting heat.
Leah Williamson misses out by means of harm for Arsenal, which is a little bit of a blow.
The early kick-off is about for an intriguing ending. Join Yara El-Shaboury for the most recent from Bayern Munich v Manchester United.
Starting lineups
Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Nusken, Cuthbert, James, Thompson, Kerr, Bronze, Buchanan, Walsh
Subs: Peng, Spencer, Charles, Girma, Sarwie, Baltimore, Kaptein, Potter
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe, Mariona, Little, Russo, Smith, Foord, Blackstenius
Subs: Borbe, Votikova, Codina, Hinds, Holmberg, Pelova, Maanum, Mead, Kelly
Preamble
A two-goal deficit isn’t an insurmountable determine for Chelsea, particularly contemplating the standard out there to Sonia Bompastor. They have an unbelievable array of attacking expertise who ought to embrace the problem tonight on house soil towards the reigning champions. They are unbeaten in 5 within the league and completed Aston Villa with 4 targets, to indicate the capturing boots are definitely on and they’re going to give it a go tonight.
Many issues are towards Chelsea, nevertheless, beginning with the Arsenal defence. The Gunners have solely conceded 12 targets in 17 Women’s Super League video games, so can be assured of protecting the Blues comparatively quiet. Furthermore, Alessia Russo’s North London derby hat-trick on the weekend will additional increase her confidence and can fancy her probabilities of getting a couple of probabilities towards a aspect that conceded three towards Aston Villa on Sunday.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
