Arsenal stuns Barcelona to win the Women's Champions League
Lisbon, Portugal: Arsenal upset defending champion Barcelona 1-0 to win the Women's Champions League for a second time on Saturday, denying the Spanish powerhouse a fourth title in five years.
Stina Blackstenius scored in the 75th minute of the final after being set up by fellow second-half substitute Beth Mead at Estádio José Alvalade.
Arsenal's title came 18 years after it became the first — and still the only — English club to win the top club title in women's soccer.
Matildas' players Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross were among the starting lineup for Arsenal on Saturday.
The players embraced on the final whistle and ran to celebrate in front of the red-and-white corner of the stands otherwise mostly dressed in Barcelona burgundy-and-blue.
'We believed from the moment our Champions League journey started,' Arsenal striker Alessia Russo told broadcaster TNT Sports. 'We knew that we had the capabilities. We knew that we could be good enough. It was just about going and doing it. And we've done it!'
Arsenal forward Mariona Caldentey, who played for Barcelona until this season, consoled Bonmatí before she stepped up to collect her medal as a four-time Champions League winner. Captain Kim Little and Leah Williamson lifted up the trophy and red-and-white streamers and glittering confetti shot over the podium.
Barcelona was the heavy favourite. It was aiming to become the only team other than Lyon to win three consecutive titles. The team led by two-time Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas won nine straight in the competition and blew out Wolfsburg and English champion Chelsea in the knockout rounds.
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