Arsenal stunned Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final on Saturday to win the competition for the first time since 2007. It was the Gunners' first appearance in the showpiece game since that triumph some 18 years ago, one of several facts that made them underdogs against a Barca side that has lifted this trophy three times in the past four seasons. However, Arsenal snatched it from them in Lisbon, as super-sub Stina Blackstenius scored the only goal in a monumental 1-0 win.
It was always going to be a game about defensive focus and constant concentration for the English side, with the Catalans so dominant on the ball and boasting incredible strength in depth that few sides in the world can compete with. But Arsenal did well to enjoy good spells of their own and actually had the better of the chances in the first half, with an own goal by Irene Paredes ruled out for offside before Frida Maanum forced Cata Coll into a strong fingertip save.
Barca weren't at the races in that first 45 minutes and it felt inevitable that they would improve after the break - but the Gunners stood tall despite that happening and limited their opponents to very few clear-cut opportunities. Indeed, Daphne van Domselaar only had one save of note to make, to deny Aitana Bonmati from range, as most other efforts flew off target or comfortably into her arms. Instead, the two biggest chances of the game would fall to the Gunners and, specifically, Blackstenius. She couldn't put the first away, denied by Coll's legs, but she made no mistake when Beth Mead cleverly picked her out just three minutes later, finishing ruthlessly to make Arsenal, against all odds, the champions of Europe.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Estadio Jose Alvalade...
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