The UWCL guarantees drama
There is just something about European nights. Like Arsenal’s on Tuesday against Bayern Munich, with a raucous crowd behind you, anything can happen.
That is exactly what happened tonight at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea looked down and out, a 110th-minute sucker punch from Sara Darbitz which followed Vanessa Gilles’ goal to send the tie to extra time looked to have dumped Chelsea out on their big night - that however, really wasn’t to be the case.
Added time of extra time at the end of the game, over 120 minutes of football and Lauren James was brought down by Vicki Becho in the box. Initially, the penalty wasn’t given, but referee, Ivana Martincic went to the VAR monitor and pointed to the spot, huge drama at the rain-soaked Bridge. Emma Hayes gee’d up the crowd and after a very nervous wait, Maren Mjelde smashed her penalty into the corner to send the tie to spot kicks!!
The first five penalties were scored, then Lyon captain Wendie Renard missed hers, Chelsea couldn’t capitalise as Lauren James failed to make it 4-2, and substitute Darbitz made it 3-3 before Jess Carter smashed her penalty home to give sudden death advantage to the Blues. Ann Katrin Berger, the Chelsea stopper making her 100th appearance, then made her second save of the shootout, keeping out Lindsey Horan and that was that. The Chelsea fans and players who were despondent just fifteen minutes prior, were now celebrating a UWCL semi-final tie with Barcelona.
Katrin Berger’s dream century
As previously mentioned, Chelsea keeper Ann Katrin Berger made her 100th appearance for the club tonight in the win over Lyon, for someone who has beaten thyroid cancer twice, she saved two penalties in the shootout to send her side through to the semi-finals, few people in Stamford Bridge really couldn’t have enjoyed that moment as much as her.
In the game itself, Berger had to be alert as early as the third minute to deny Delphine Cascarino as she beat the forward's shot away. She constantly was out to claim crosses and free kicks very well, assuring what seemed like a shaky defence in the absence of Millie Bright.
This night will always belong to Chelsea, but without the heroics of AKB in the shootout, the blues would never have had this fairytale ending.
Kerr’s solo struggles
Quite often it’s Sam Kerr who has inspired Chelsea, you cast your mind back to her delicate chip in the 1-0 win over Man United not even a month ago in the huge WSL title clash, the Australian is often the player Emma Hayes’ side turn to in moments of need. Tonight, however, under the bright lights of Stamford Bridge, and despite the heroic comeback and chaotic end, Sam wasn’t the star she usually so often is.
She ploughed a lone furrow up front, with her partner in crime, Lauren James playing just off her. When Kerr broke through early in the first half and smashed her effort at Lyon keeper, Christane Endler, you thought that was going to be the first of a hatful of chances for the Number 20, however, it was not to be.
Often the Blues’ only out ball, Kerr hustled and harried but cut a frustrated figure as the ball constantly evaded her, whether through the leg of a Lyon defender or a poor ball from a teammate, even her usual telepathic link up with Lauren James just wasn’t the same. Too often the cross towards Kerr would be high or too far away. A rare off night for Chelsea’s star forward, it seemed.
Who Wins the UWCL
So the semi-finals are now confirmed, Chelsea v Barcelona, a repeat of the 2020/21 final and Wolfsburg v Arsenal, it’s certainly set to be a box office four matches, before the date with destiny in Eindhoven for the final on 3rd June 2023.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal are into the semi-finals, the North London club's victory over Bayern Munich last night, was a lot less dramatic than their West London counterparts tonight. If both sides win their respective semi-finals, it really would be something, an all-English final in Eindhoven on June 3rd, and with Arsenal already having one trophy in the bag, both them and Chelsea in the thick of a WSL title race and the blues in the FA Cup semi-finals, the game could even be a treble deciding fixture.
That aforementioned eventuality holds a lot of ifs buts and maybes, especially for Chelsea, who will be looking to exact revenge on Barcelona for their 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Catalans in the 20/21 final. Arsenal will face an equally sterner test in Wolfsburg, who got a very credible 1-1 draw on the night and a 2-1 aggregate win over PSG in the quarter-finals to reach this stage.
Whoever wins the competition will have certainly had to work for it, make no mistake, but expect fireworks, and a whole lot more in a mouthwatering set of UWCL semi-finals.