Title Matrix

UWCL SEMI-FINALISTS! | Arsenal vs Real Madrid (3-0, 3-2 on agg) | Russo, Caldentey fire us through!

Football

Taon2025

Tagal2m

Panoorin Ngayon

7.9

We produced a performance for the ages on an historic night in N5 as three goals in 14 minutes at the start of the second half saw us come from 2-0 down to beat Real Madrid 3-2 on aggregate in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals. Two Chloe Kelly crosses were dispatched with aplomb by Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey as our dominant display got the big goals it so richly deserved, before Russo made it three from a Katie McCabe free-kick. what happened We had the ball almost exclusively in Madrid’s half for the first 25 minutes of the match, starting fast at Arsenal Stadium as Kelly’s dangerous low cross from the right was gathered by Misa Rodriguez. Coming agonisingly close to an early opener, Caldentey headed just wide of the top right corner after she was left in time and space from a Frida Maanum corner. Russo lifted a cross into the box and Caitlin Foord rushed onto it, heading over the bar, before Madrid gave the ball away from the following goal-kick and Russo’s shot was deflected into the path of Kelly, who flicked it past Rodriguez but not towards goal. Madrid had their first sight of goal in the 41st minute, forcing a huge double save from Daphne van Domselaar, who made one stop from Filippa Angeldal and then got up to deny Linda Caicedo - who was eventually flagged offside - on the rebound from close range. Maanum struck wide of the bottom right from just inside the 18-yard box as we went into the break goalless following a breathless first half. At half-time it was clear that, if we could just get players on the end of Kelly’s delicious deliveries into the box, we’d be in business, and that’s exactly what happened early in the second half, not once, but twice. Her 46th minute cross was converted by Russo to bring us right back into the tie, and her next cross was headed by Caldentey with too much power for Rodriguez just three minutes later to equalise on aggregate and raise the roof in N5. Just 10 minutes later, the turnaround was complete, this