Izuchukwu OkosiArsenal Women defied the odds and beat defending champions Barcelona 1-0 to win the Women’s Champions League for a second time on Saturday evening at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Stina Blackstenius was on hand to grab the vital winner in the 75th minute after she was assisted by Beth Mead.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe victory ends an 18-year wait for a continental silverware by the Arsenal women’s side.
Arsenal thus becomes the first English side to win the competition twice.
Blackstenius scored the only goal of the final after being set up by fellow second-half substitute Beth Mead in the final at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Saturday.
The Arsenal players hugged at the final whistle and celebrated in front of the red-and-white corner of the stands.
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“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!”
Barcelona were bookmakers’ choice to win on Saturday.
The Blaugrana were gunning for a fourth title in five years and to become the only team other than Lyon to win three consecutive titles.
The team led by two-time Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas won nine straight in the competition’s history.
They eliminated strong powerhouses, Wolfsburg and Chelsea.
Other heavyweight women’s football teams like Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal struggled in the qualification campaign.
Conversely, the Arsenal men’s team reached the semifinals of the season recently but lost to Paris Saint-Germain.
The women’s game especially in the top five leagues of the world have enjoyed huge followership in terms of fans’ attendance at stadiums and the media attention.
The financial rewards playing for big European clubs across the globe makes it attractive for the women’s players.
Recently, FIFA increased the number of participating teams for the 2031 World Cup to 48 teams, a testament to the riding profile of women’s football.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
