Arsenal Ladies spurred on by first-leg loss against Wolfsburg

  • Author, Tony Leighton
  • Role, Women's football reporter

Arsenal's "angry and frustrated" players face a huge task to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the second leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg on Sunday.

The first-leg loss at Borehamwood means the Gunners are underdogs in Germany as they look to avoid a third successive Euro exit at the last-four stage.

Manager Shelley Kerr said: "The girls are disappointed, frustrated and angry.

"They didn't meet the high expectations they put on themselves."

The first leg could have been different if they had not had three efforts cleared off the line and if an Ellen White header had hit the net rather than the bar.

But Kerr said her team were not up to their normal standard, and she is demanding a much-improved performance at the Wolfsburg Arena.

"We made too many wrong decisions, individually and collectively, and at this stage of the competition you just can't afford to do that.

"Having said that, I thought the 2-0 scoreline flattered Wolfsburg.

"From the way they celebrated their second goal almost at the end of the game, they may be feeling that they've done enough to get through.

"It's going to be a massive challenge for us, but I believe we can go over there and get the result we want. The girls will have to be more efficient in their decision making, but if they can do that then we will create goalscoring opportunities.

"If we can be more clinical with our finishing than we were in the first leg, then we can go through to the final."

The winners of the tie will face either Olympic Lyonnais or Juvisy Essonne in the final. Lyon are 3-0 ahead prior to Sunday's semi-final second leg.

The final is set to be played at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge on 23 May.