Alessia Russo scored twice as Arsenal produced an exhilarating comeback to beat Actual Madrid 3-0 within the ladies’s Champions League on Wednesday, overturning a two-goal first-leg deficit to succeed in the semi-finals with a 3-2 combination victory.
The Londoners struck 3 times within the first quarter-hour of the second half to ebook their place within the subsequent spherical, the place they are going to face a frightening problem towards eight-time champions Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Bayern Munich earlier on Wednesday.
“It was wonderful. It nonetheless feels a bit surreal proper now, I’ve not likely let it sink in but,” Russo, named participant of the match, advised TNT Sports activities.
“We have had plenty of perception all week, we knew what we wished to do and what we’re able to as a group, and we have achieved that tonight.”
Russo opened the scoring a minute after the break when she tapped in a terrific cross from Chloe Kelly earlier than Mariona Caldentey made it 2-0 three minutes later with a header off the Manchester Metropolis loanee’s second help.
Russo scored her second within the 59th minute, hanging an excellent half-volley into the highest of the web to place Arsenal forward within the tie, whereas the England worldwide twice thought she had bagged a hat-trick however noticed two efforts disallowed for offside.
The guests went near scoring late within the first half when Filippa Angeldahl drew a terrific save from Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, whereas Linda Caicedo almost pushed the match to additional time with a stoppage-time effort that was once more denied by Van Domselaar.
Actual had held agency underneath stress from Arsenal within the first half, as Caldentey and Caitlin Foord each squandered clear-headed possibilities, however they finally faltered, lacking out on their first-ever European semi-final.
“We knew that we have been doing nicely within the first half. We felt good as a group, we felt that we had momentum. We simply wished to be a bit extra affected person within the ultimate third as we knew that we would have liked to attain,” the 26-year-old Russo added.
“Chloe put in some nice crosses that arrange the primary two objectives, and we have been simply persistent. We in all probability ought to have had extra, to be honest.”
