Katie McCabe and Arsenal suffer extra-time heartbreak in Champions League semi-final

Arsenal 2 Wolfsburg 3 (AET Wolfsburg win 5-4 on aggregate)

Katie McCabe so nearly had the defining moment. With Arsenal pressuring in extra-time of their Champions League semi-final second leg, the Irish captain, and stand-in Arsenal skipper, came within inches of sending her side to the final, a chipped cross-cum-shot – only she can say if she meant to steer it goalwards – cannoning off the crossbar with just minutes remaining.

It was the closest Arsenal came to breaking the stalemate in the extra 30 minutes, despite the best efforts of the peerless Frida Maanum in midfield. As it was, just moments later, a cruel ending saw Lotte Wubben-Moy cough up possession deep inside her own half, Pauline Bremer taking advantage to steer the ball home after Jule Brand had picked the Arsenal defender’s pocket.

It was a dramatic ending to a frenetic, tetchy five-goal thriller in front of an attendance of 60,063 at the Emirates, the first time Arsenal’s women’s side have sold out the North London venue.

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A day for fans to vent frustration at the officials began with a lengthy VAR check just two minutes in. Wubben-Moy clearly handled the ball in the box while trying to head away a cross. The issue was Wolfsburg’s Sveindis Jonsdottir, rather blatantly, barged into her, thrusting her arm into the path of the ball.

Handball? Not handball? While the officials took an age to ponder – more fodder for the anti-VAR brigade – someone remembered they forgot to draw the offside lines, a belated raised flag saving the Gunners.

VAR was called on again to check Arsenal’s opener courtesy of Stina Blackstenius. After a McCabe challenge inside her own half – how much of the ball she got is debatable – Arsenal broke as Blackstenius worked past a poor intercept attempt from Kathrin Hendrich to score. The last challenge was referred in the booth, but the goal stood. Fortunately for parochial interests, McCabe’s tackle was not checked.

Wolfsburg had their share of possession but didn’t create a clearcut chance until the equaliser shortly before half-time. From a free-kick, returning Germany captain Alexandra Popp beat McCabe to the ball in the air, teeing up Jill Roord. No mistake from the edge of the area.

A tetchy end to the half where both sides showed their frustration with the officials was quickly forgotten after the break thanks to Blackstenius once again finding the net. This time, the VAR intervention went the visitors’ way, Noelle Maritz was clearly offside before sending in the cross from out wide.

Wolfsburg too had their joy on the flanks. Ewa Pajor caused major issues, winning a series of corners off last-ditch interventions. McCabe cleared one of them off the line but the reward came moments later, skipper Popp finding herself free at the near post to take the lead on 60 minutes.

The game had well and truly opened up now. Maanum and Catley both found space on the break but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Neither could Svenja Huth down the other end after yet more wide trouble for Arsenal. The miss would be crucial, Arsenal finally working an opportunity for Jennifer Beattie in the box shortly after. Her first header was blocked, but not the second, a towering effort off the return cross finding the bottom corner.

Cue the customary VAR check, Wolfsburg not happy that a defender lay crumpled in a heap after competing with Beattie, but the goal stood.

Maanum could easily have won it in extra-time for Arsenal, either when her intercept supplied Hurtig who forced a save from Frohms, or when she herself blazed over. As it was, McCabe’s woodwork-rattler was inches off and the visitors had the last ruthless laugh in the 120th minute. Barcelona await them in next month’s final.

Arsenal: Manuela Zinsberger; Lotte Wubben-Moy, Jennifer Beattie (Agyemang, 120), Rafaelle Souza; Noelle Maritz (Wienroither, 63, Kuhl, 82), Walti, Frida Maanum; Steph Catley; Katie McCabe (capt), Victoria Pelova, Stina Blackstenius (Hurtig, 63).

Wolfsburg: Merle Frohms; Lynn Wilms (Hegering, 105), Kathrin Hendrich, Dominique Janssen, Felicitas Rauch; Lena Oberdorf, Jill Roord (Blomqvist, 120); Svenja Huth (Bremer, 90), Alexandra Popp, Sveindis Jonsdottir (Brand, 101); Ewa Pajor (Waasmuth, 76).