WCL and WSL talking points: Arsenal show super strength but Manchester pair stumble

Barcelona foiled by Bayern’s block Alexia Putellas said Barcelona have to “adapt our game” after a 1-1 draw away to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. The match, in which the scorer of Bayern’s equaliser, Franziska Kett, was sent off for pulling Salma Paralluelo’s hair late on, was a far cry from the 7-1 victory the Spanish champions earned over the German champions in their opening match of the league phase of the competition. “We knew this game would be different. As you’ve seen, we were right,” said the two-time Ballon d’Or winner. “The first half was different from the second half. In the end, they were in a medium block; we waited for more space in the middle. We have to adapt our game.” The key seems to be to let Barcelona have the ball and Bayern’s Giulia Gwinn said: “The biggest challenge against Barcelona is to accept that you’ll have very little possession without becoming passive. Every time we managed to go beyond that initial moment of pressing, we were dangerous. In the second half, we had the momentum. We could’ve made more of a couple of chances, but we could tell that they’re not unbeatable, that we can get something done.” Suzanne Wrack Arsenal show spirit of trophy win Renée Slegers praised the quality of Arsenal’s problem-solving skills after they came from behind against OL Lyonnes to earn a 2-1 win at home in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. “It definitely is [a strength],” said the Arsenal manager. “The intelligence that we have in the squad. Being on the pitch, seeing and feeling it, is so valuable, then we see the pitch from above, technical views, which has a lot of value as well, to see the spaces. Seeing and feeling it. That collaboration of both perspectives is really good.” The Champions League record scorer Ada Hegerberg called it “a game of two halves” and she was right. After being made to work hard in the first, the Gunners were rampant in the second. The spirit of last season’s battling run to the trophy, which included a 2-1 semi-final first leg defeat to Lyonnes at home before an emphatic 4-1 win away, was very much on show at the Emirates Stadium. Key to that was that ability to problem solve, to find the answers to the questions the opposition asked of them, between legs. On Sunday, they seemed to have been able to condense that process and unlock Lyonnes weaknesses mid-match. SW Manchester City’s stumble tightens title race Brighton’s surprise 3-2 victory over Manchester City illustrated a slight vulnerability in the league leaders. This game was a clear example of how, if you leave the door ajar, any team in this league can take advantage. Andrée Jeglertz’s side should have been out of sight in the first half but registered just two of their nine shots on target. Buoyed up by the opposition’s wastefulness, Brighton pounced. The timing of the hosts’ first two goals was crucial – Madison Haley’s leveller coming deep into first-half injury time and Kiko Seike giving Brighton the lead two minutes after the restart – and before the visitors knew it, the momentum had swung away from them. This stumble means that if Arsenal beat Leicester on Wednesday, City will not be able to lift the trophy at home next Sunday. And if Arsenal keep winning, the wait could become a nervous one. Sophie Downey Lowly Foxes outwitted by Lionesses There is no denying Leicester are in a bit of a hole and quickly running out of chances to dig themselves out. A second-half capitulation to London City Lionesses in Bromley will, therefore, have done little to help the dwindling confidence of Rick Passmoor’s side. The Foxes manager was clearly frustrated with how the game fell away from his team after a bright start. Four of the hosts’ five goals in the 5-1 win came from deliveries from wide areas, exposing a clear frailty in Leicester’s defensive setup. With results around them not going their way, they are seven points behind West Ham, meaning defeat to Arsenal in midweek will mean they finish bottom and face a playoff with their WSL survival at stake. At the very least, Passmoor will need to find some sort of spark to boost the morale of his team. SD Bompastor calls for goalline technology Sam Kerr’s timely return to her best form not only helped Chelsea take a giant step towards Champions League qualification but also served as a reminder of her star qualities as she approaches the final two months of her contract. The Australia striker, who has scored in four games in a row for club and country, has been widely linked with a summer move away from London on a free transfer, most heavily to the NWSL, and Chelsea were shown exactly what they might be missing as she scored twice with instinctive, low finishes in a 4-1 win at Goodison Park. Kerr should have scored a “perfect hat-trick” but her header – which replays showed had clearly crossed the line – was not given as a goal by the officials, prompting the Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor to call for goalline technology in the WSL. Tom Garry West Ham take decisive step towards safety West Ham boosted their hopes of WSL survival with a vital 1-0 win over Liverpool, moving seven points clear of the relegation playoff place. In a contest between two sides hovering above Leicester at the bottom of the table, the result gave the visitors valuable breathing space. An early own goal credited to Cornelia Kapocs proved enough to separate the sides, although the Reds continued pushing for an equaliser until the final minute. West Ham, however, held on to secure only their second away win of the season and a first victory over Liverpool since February 2020. The Hammers are not safe yet, and manager Rita Guarino acknowledged that reality: “Mathematically it doesn’t show but of course it is three important points especially with just three games left for Leicester, it’s big. We will have to wait for Wednesday and see.” Réshma Rao Another setback for United in race for Europe Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are now in the hands of their rivals after a goalless draw at Tottenham. United were lucky to leave north London with a point after conceding 22 shots and having less possession than their opponents. They now have to rely on Chelsea to drop pointsat Leicester to have any chance of qualifying for Europe. “We weren’t at the speed of the game we needed to be – the pressing wasn’t good enough,” said the United head coach, Marc Skinner. “Tottenham edged it in the first half, second half it ebbed and flowed. It was back and forth. It’s obviously in Chelsea’s hands but we play them [on the final day]. We still have to beat Brighton and Chelsea. We’re disappointed about dropping points today but in reality we needed to do more to get the three points.” Emillia Hawkins