Arsenal secured a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly, and Alessia Russo scored for the reigning European champions, while Lauren James provided the sole response for a depleted Chelsea squad in the historic all-London clash.
Chelsea initiated the attack early, hitting the post twice in the opening 10 minutes through Alyssa Thompson and James. Arsenal absorbed the pressure and capitalized in the 22nd minute when Blackstenius opened the scoring with a header. Ten minutes later, Kelly doubled the advantage with a long-range strike to give Arsenal a 2-0 lead entering halftime.
Ademruimte voor Arsenal. In de heenwedstrijd van de kwartfinales van de Women's Champions League maakte het korte metten met de concurrenten van Chelsea. https://t.co/HH2ntkq9kc pic.twitter.com/wF8wjAl5NJ
— sporza (@sporza) March 24, 2026
James reduced the deficit in the 66th minute with a curling long-range effort. Russo then restored Arsenal’s two-goal cushion in the 76th minute with a volley, marking her eighth goal of the European campaign. The match featured significant interventions from the video assistant referee. Officials ruled out two Chelsea goals, overturning a Veerle Buurman header before halftime and a stoppage-time attempt by Kadeisha Buchanan.
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor criticized the officiating, stating that the women’s game and its players “need to be respected more.” Bompastor navigated the fixture with a restricted roster, naming four teenagers to the bench amid an injury crisis and late returns from the Asian Cup. This quarter-final marked the first time two clubs from the same city have met in UEFA women’s club competition history.
Arsenal continues their title defense after defeating Barcelona 1-0 in last season’s final in Lisbon. The teams will conclude the aggregate tie at Stamford Bridge on April 1. This fixture continues a pivotal week for European sports as the tournament field narrows.