Arsenal went into Sunday's return match with a 1-2 deficit after the loss at home. It didn't matter. Nor did the fact that they faced the greatest Champions League club of all time, Lyon, who have won the tournament eight times.
Just like in the quarterfinals, when they turned a 0-2 deficit after the first match into a 3-2 win over Real Madrid, they found a way to advance.
As early as the third minute, the semifinal was level, after a Lyon defender headed an Arsenal corner into the goal of their own goalkeeper Cristiane Endler. And in stoppage time of the first half, the turnaround was a fact, when Spanish star midfielder Mariona Caldentey scored 2-0 for Arsenal from distance.
Last met Umeå
Directly after the break, it was Alessia Russo's turn to find the net, the attacker calmly rolling in 3-0 in the 46th minute.
Nothing went the French home team's way. Instead of a reduction, it soon stood 4-0 to Arsenal after yet another own goal, an extra bitter one. Defender Vanessa Gilles had the ball in her own penalty area but slipped. Arsenal's Caitlin Foord picked up the ball and slammed it into the net in the 63rd minute.
Melchie Dumornay reduced with ten minutes left, but it didn't help.
The Swedish team Arsenal – Stina Blackstenius was substituted in, Rosa Kafaji and Amanda Ilestedt sat on the bench, and Lina Hurtig is injured – is thus clear for the Champions League final for the first time since 2007 when they defeated Umeå in the final.
Barcelona crushed Chelsea
In Lisbon on May 24, the last two years' champions Barcelona await, who won their semifinal against Chelsea with a total score of 8-2.
The situation was virtually hopeless for Chelsea already before Sunday's return match in London, after Barça won the first meeting 4-1. And Barcelona didn't even give the Brits a finger in the semifinal.
Aitana Bonmatí scored 1-0 for Barcelona in the 26th minute, Ewa Pajor extended in the 41st, and just a minute later, Spanish attacking talent Clàudia Pina scored 3-0 with a pearl in the far corner.
Salma Paralluelo then scored 4-0 in the final minutes before Wieke Kaptein got a consolation goal in stoppage time.
Barcelona has now knocked out Chelsea in the Champions League semifinal three years in a row.
Fridolina Rolfö played from the start for Barcelona, while Johanna Rytting Kaneryd started for Chelsea.
