Chelsea's Bompastor furious as Arsenal reach women's Champions League semis / Photo: © AFP
Chelsea's Bompastor furious as Arsenal reach women's Champions League semis
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor said poor officiating had cost her side a place in the women's Champions League semi-finals after Arsenal progressed 3-2 on aggregate, despite a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Bompastor was sent off in the final seconds of the match after a hair pull on Alyssa Thompson by Katie McCabe went unpunished.
Chelsea were also furious over the controversial decision to disallow a goal in their 3-1 first leg loss last week at the Emirates, which proved decisive in the tie.
"If the VAR again is not able to check that situation, I don't know why we have VAR," said the former Lyon boss on McCabe's challenge on Thompson.
"If you look at all the decisions, first leg and second leg, that's also part of the result in the end.
"That's the difference between being qualified and not qualified. My players, they don't deserve that level of refereeing."
Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze said the first leg "killed us" as their long wait to win the competition goes on despite their domestic dominance in England over the past decade.
Arsenal ended an 18-year wait for an English winner of the women's Champions League when they shocked Barcelona in last season's final and dug deep to remain on course to defend their crown.
"It would be nice to do it two years in a row, we'll give it all we can," said Arsenal captain Kim Little.
The Gunners kept the English champions at arm's length until a frantic finale in which both sides should have netted multiple times.
Stina Blackstenius looked to have killed the tie off when the Swede headed in 10 minutes from time but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check for a marginal offside.
Buoyed by that let-off Chelsea suddenly sprang into life.
Lauren James stung the palms of Daphne van Domselaar and Veerle Buurman fired the rebound off the post with the goal gaping.
Moments later Van Domselaar produced an incredible stop to turn Sjoeke Nusken's header onto the post.
At the other end Beth Mead also struck the woodwork as Arsenal threatened to take advantage of Chelsea's desperation on the counter-attack.
When the opener finally arrived, four minutes into added time, it was too late for Chelsea.
Nusken connected sweetly to fire in at the near post from Sam Kerr's cross.
Arsenal will face either eight-time winners Lyon or Wolfsburg in the last four.
The Germans lead 1-0 ahead of their second leg in France on Thursday.
On the other side of the draw, Bayern Munich beat Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate and will almost certainly face Barcelona, who hold a 6-2 first-leg lead over Real Madrid, in the semi-finals.
U.Berger--BP
