Arsenal overturned a 1-0 aggregate scoreline on Wednesday night to book their place in the Women's Champions League semi-finals in a 2-0 second-leg win over Bayern Munich. 

Whilst The Gunners had it all to do after they were made to rue their missed chances in the first leg, Lea Schuller's header was the difference.

But in the return fixture, to the orchestra of a lively Emirates crowd, they completed their comeback job in the opening 25 minutes.

Frida Maanum opened the scoring with an unbelievable shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and thundered into the top left corner before Stina Blackstenius doubled the night's tally shortly after. 

The result takes Arsenal into the final four of the Women's Champions League for the first time in a decade, while Bayern slump out after they failed to create any real sign of hope, despite having won their previous 14 games in all competitions. 

  • Story of the match

Looking to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg, Rafaelle Souza was reinstated next to Leah Williamson at the heart of defence ahead of Lotte Wubben-Moy, while Victoria Pelova was given a start after two assists against Tottenham impressed Jonas Eidevall.

Bayern made just one change from their last two games, with Franziska Kett coming into the attack in place of Sydney Lohmann. As expected, Lioness Georgia Stanway kept her place in midfield. 

In the early moments, The Gunners brought the game to their German guests. As they had done on plenty of occasions last time out and again at the weekend, they found Caitlin Foord and the left wing as their most viable lane to attack.

The Australian used the space well to find a cross into Frida Maanum in the fourth minute. Her first swing at the ball was miscued, while a scramble in the box led to nothing more than a clearance. But it was the home side that looked most likely to score. 

A break in play didn’t punctuate momentum after Kim Little was brought down from a counterattack that produced heavy inhales from the 20,000-strong crowd when the captain was substituted off. Instead, Arsenal peppered the Bayern defence with crosses – though without impact until the 20th minute.

Their near-perfect performance was crowned by an unbelievable opening goal in a dominant start to the night. Once Maanum picked up the ball just outside the box in the 20th minute following exacting buildup play that ended with Leah Williamson's back heel, there was only one thing on her mind. To smash it off the crossbar and into the top left corner.

It was a Champions League-worthy opener for the north Londoners, and they pulsated with the confidence that Eidevall explained they had in the lead-up within 26 minutes.

Stina Blackstenius put the aggregate scoreline in The Gunners' hands when Kate McCabe's tantalising cross from the left met the Swede's head minutes later. From close-range, the striker steered the ball into the net to give Arsenal a 2-0 lead on the night. 

Bayern Munich were left shellshocked and could only produce one effort of note in the first half, which came in the 33rd minute to no avail when a speculative attempt rose high above the crossbar. 

Although the Germans had only shipped four goals in 16 league games, quick, incise, inch-perfect passes in the final third from Arsenal’s attacking trio left Bayern at sea. Foord continued to run riot down the left to play in Blackstenius in the 36th minute. Needing to swivel before shooting, her strike was narrowly wide.

Moments later, the striker had another shot saved from close range. With Arsenal applying unrelenting pressure, the only downside was they weren’t further ahead. At the close of the half, Blackstenius had a third chance go begging as Wubben-Moy followed up with a cross from the right that skimmed the crossbar. 

  • Second half

Going into the second period, the worry was that Arsenal would be made to rue their missed chances, just as they did in the first leg. However, after the break, the ball still remained primarily in Bayern's half.

Foord had an early half-volley struck into the hands of Grohs, and though the visitors played it dangerously to concede a corner and invite further pressure, they survived the first 15 minutes.

By the hour mark, Bayern had grown into the game. A succession of chances fell their way to kickstart their evening. First, Buhl skipped inside Maritz before a vital Wubben-Moy block gave Bayern a corner, which led to another. Yet, the half remained goalless after 65 minutes. 

It spoke volumes of Arsenal's performance that Stanway was subdued. So often she is the whistle-blower for many great Lioness performances. But she was overrun by a Gunners team looking to make it to the final four for the first time in a decade.

Either Arsenal's game management had come into play or Bayern had improved after the break. The Gunners' attacks weren't as frequent or breathless. But they did almost make it three in the 72nd minute.

Goalscorer Maanum sent a tidy backheel into Foord's path as the left-winger stormed through on goal from 10 yards out. Failing to put the game to bed, the Australian slapped her side-footed shot dipping over the bar.

What followed was a period of nihility. Arsenal sat deep and kept their shape, whereas Bayern's uplift in possession never really looked like it was getting them anywhere.

The next noteworthy chance didn't arrive until the 85th minute when Blackstenius' strike bobbled into Grohs' hands. The action occurred more prevalent off the ball as Arsenal's time-wasting tactics were met with shoves from the desperate Bayern players, inciting fights to spill over in the dugout. 

Arsenal stayed stubborn and saw out the lead in a breathless performance from a team refusing to look glum without Vivienne Miedema and Beth Mead. Still, they fight on. Still, they could win another two trophies to add to their Conti Cup for the season. 

She could have earned the award for the goal alone. It was breathtaking. But again, so was her overall display. Arguably, it was Maanum that navigated a performance I personally won't forget for a while.

To cover this Arsenal team in recent weeks has been a dream. They play beautiful, scintillating football. Hopefully, this was the start of a Champions League triumph. It sure was a performance of champions.