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72 mins: Foord has a shot from inside the box but there are too many blue shirts between her and the net.
Arsenal have a corner on the left but it flicks off Wubben-Moy’s head and out.
70 mins: Mead and Holmberg on, Smith and Fox off for Arsenal.
68 mins: Caldentey gets into a good position to pass but holds onto the ball for too long, forcing Arsenal backwards. They seem quite happy to keep hold of the ball. The Gunners are plotting some subs, it would seem.
Charles does well on the left to dig out a cross but once again no one in Blue is making the right movement inside the box.
66 mins: The referee books Hinds for timewasting. She has been desperate to pull someone up for it.
64 mins: Needless to say, there is no red card. James and McCabe clash again soon afterwards, though. I suspect James frustrated by the state of the game.
62 mins: It is all Chelsea at the moment, with Arsenal struggling to get out of their own half. They will, however, be confident of having a few chances on the break soon enough.
James is booked for inadvertently standing on McCabe. A touch harsh. VAR are having a look to see if it should be a red, which would be lunacy of the highest order.
60 mins: Cuthbert goes off, as does Buchanan. Charles and Baltimore on.
59 mins: Bompastor will be looking at her bench right now, wondering how she can change this but she has few attacking options. Either way, a double substitution is on its way. Charless is one of the players coming on and Baltimore the other.
James takes a corner from the right but Foord manages to control the ball inside the box and drive forward.
57 mins: Bronze comes onto a bouncing ball and thrashes it well over the bar from 30 yards.
55 mins: Chelsea have two corners in succession but Arsenal just about survive. The second one ends with James whipping a shot onto the roof of the net.
53 mins: Arsenal have a corner on the left and they take their time before eventually taking it. McCabe sends the ball into the box and it is perfect for Blackstenius but her bullet header is blocked.
Down the other end, a wonderful Nuskens pass plays in Kerr, who has to check back but manages to take aim for the top corner, forcing the goalkeeper into a stunning save.
51 mins: James tracks back and does well to get the ball but then does not know what to do in order to clear the danger. She gets a bit lucky as Hinds fouls her but not James’ finest moment.
49 mins: Carpenter is booked after her mistake allows Hinds in behind her. Arsenal have a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left. Caldentey swings it in and the Blues clear, only for Fox to fire it straight back but Hampton comfortably catches.
47 mins: Russo lines up a shot from 20 yards but it is pretty wild, going a few yards wide.
Second half
Here we go again!
Half-time reading: Tom Garry was in Munich as Manchester United were eliminated by Bayern.
Half time: Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal (agg 1-3)
Almost no goal threat for 45 minutes, which will suit Arsenal far more than Chelsea.
45 mins: Three minutes to be added on.
Hinds replaces Catley.
44 mins: Another dangerous cross, this time from James but nowhere is there to get a touch on it. James is rightly fuming with her teammates’ lack of movement when it matters.
Catley’s race looks to be run.
42 mins: Chelsea are yet to have a shot on target. Not what is required when chasing a tie.
A problem for Arsenal as Catley is down rubbing her calf.
40 mins: Bronze comes across and clears the ball, ending up on the deck after being caught by Smith. The Chelsea defender thinks she deserves a free-kick but the referee awards Arsenal the throw.
38 mins: Carpenter gets into a good position on the right but makes the wrong decision, sending the ball to the byline and Nusken can’t keep it in.
36 mins: Chelsea can’t find any gaps and are starting to panic.
34 mins: Carpenter wrestles Russo to the ground and receives a ticking off from the ref. Arsenal will to be pleased to kill a few more seconds of the game.
The next Chelsea foul is in a good position for Arsenal, 24 yards from goal in a central position after Smith is clipped by Buchanan. McCabe lines it up … but it comes to nothing.
32 mins: James twists and turns, before flashing a cross but Wubben-Moy is there to block. Stopping James seems to be the biggest task her for Arsenal.
Thompson is the next to cause Arsenal some problems, getting in down the left and gets into a good shooting position inside the box but fires over.
Kári Tulinius emails: “All season I’ve been telling myself that, since Arsenal won the Champions League last year, whatever happens now I can just bask in the glow of fond memories. However, now that the semifinals feel close enough to touch, I’m starting to get the fear. Happily, though, the team seems perfectly calm and composed. I, however, am gripping the armrests like I’m on an especially turbulent flight.”
30 mins: Carpenter latches onto a pass over the top from Bronze and fires a low cross along the five-yard line but no one is there to turn it in.
28 mins: It should be said neither goalkeeper has really been tested yet …
26 mins: Foord receives the ball in a good position on the left and cuts in to shoot but again it is a weak effort.
Arsenal want a foul after Nuskens takes down Caldentey on the edge of the box. The Chelsea players gets nothing of the ball but the referee isn’t interested.
24 mins: Arsenal reach the edge of the Chelsea box but momentum stops there and the attack breaks down after a weak Caldentey shot.
22 mins: James is being allowed to roam all over the pitch, she’s been everywhere from right-back to left-wing already. I think Bompastor is offering her the freedom because she knows the damage she can do.
Smith drives into the box and Nuskens slides in, performing the perfect tackle to only give away a corner. If she gets it even slightly wrong, it’s a penalty.
20 mins: Nusken looks to bundle her way through the Arsenal defence but she is held up 18 yards from goal.
Arsenal look to break but Bronze is there to tidy up, only to send a rather ropey backpass to Hampton who deals with the bobbling ball well.
18 mins: Cuthbert is looking for James on the right and the Scot sends a pass to the wing but the England international is on her heels and watches it go out for a throw.
16 mins: Arsenal are getting into this game. Little cleanly hits the ball but sees it blocked. They have successfully silenced the crowd and are now looking to get on top.
Foord breezes past Carpenter on the wing and gets into the box but her shot is a weak one.
Down the other end, the ball drops to Thompson on the edge but she drags her effort just wide.
14 mins: McCabe is allowed to run about 15 yards unchallenged, giving her the chance to fire a shot at goal from 20 yards but drive is always rising.
12 mins: Arsenal’s first effort, unsurprisingly, comes from Russo but her low drive from the edge of the box is straight at Hampton.
10 mins: Chelsea have had more than 90% possession thus far. I am not sure that is sustainable for Arsenal. I appreciate they have the cushion but they might need more ambition.
8 mins: Carpenter does great work down the right and picks out Nusken in the box but she sends her shot wide, despite being under no pressure 12 yards out. She will be frustrated by not at least testing the goalkeeper.
6 mins: James has dropped in between to Chelsea centre-backs, such is her eagerness to get on the ball.
4 mins: Arsenal have barely had a touch in the first few minutes. Chelsea are knocking it around and James is trying to make a nuance of herself. She puts in a cross from deep, which earns a corner on the left. The set-piece is carefully constructed, allowing Walsh to clip the ball to the back post, causing a moment of panic before the danger is cleared.
2 mins: Chelsea get the ball forward quickly, eager to put the Arsenal defence but the Gunners have no issues. They have a goal kick and the referee thinks Van Domselaar is taking too long and has an early word about timewasting.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The players are out …
Sonia Bompastor: “I think our job is to make sure we produce good football and good performance, to bring the fans with us, because I think they can make an impact and a difference for the players. They can bring the extra energy the players need in these types of games. Hopefully, it will be good for us to put on a good performance and create a good scenario.”
Renée Slegers: “I think all the games we’ve played against Chelsea this season have been very, very tight. We expect a battle tonight as well. For us, we were happy with the results and parts of our performance in the home game. For us tonight, it starts 0-0.”
Charles Antaki emails: “Arsenal fans will be a bit perturbed to hear that Leah Williamson is still not recovered enough to take part. She had a cameo 10 minutes a while back, but seems to have regressed. Catley thankfully is back from International duty, and makes a serviceable pair alongside Wubben-Moy, but it’s looking a bit light otherwise; and neither of them have quite the authority (of the passing range) of Williamson. Expect some wobbles at the back, and Caldentey having to come deep to pick up the ball. Could be fine; should be fine.”
Erin Cuthbert: “I mean as a player you just want the next game to come. I just wanted the next game and the second leg to be the next day. Of course we were disappointed. A few decisions went against us, didn’t play our best in the second half. The goal by LJ, we’ve stayed alive in the tie.Still got a big deficit to overturn. But you know, if there’s a dressing room that can do it, it’s the one in there. This is only half-time.”
Getting warm.
Leah Williamson misses out through injury for Arsenal, which is a bit of a blow.
The early kick-off is set for an intriguing ending. Join Yara El-Shaboury for the latest from Bayern Munich v Manchester United.
Starting lineups
Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Nusken, Cuthbert, James, Thompson, Kerr, Bronze, Buchanan, Walsh
Subs: Peng, Spencer, Charles, Girma, Sarwie, Baltimore, Kaptein, Potter
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe, Mariona, Little, Russo, Smith, Foord, Blackstenius
Subs: Borbe, Votikova, Codina, Hinds, Holmberg, Pelova, Maanum, Mead, Kelly
Preamble
A two-goal deficit is not an insurmountable figure for Chelsea, especially considering the quality available to Sonia Bompastor. They have an incredible array of attacking talent who should embrace the challenge tonight on home soil against the reigning champions. They are unbeaten in five in the league and finished Aston Villa with four goals, to show the shooting boots are certainly on and they will give it a go tonight.
Many things are against Chelsea, however, starting with the Arsenal defence. The Gunners have only conceded 12 goals in 17 Women’s Super League games, so will be confident of keeping the Blues relatively quiet. Furthermore, Alessia Russo’s North London derby hat-trick at the weekend will further boost her confidence and will fancy her chances of getting a few chances against a side that conceded three against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
