LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Arsenal has upset defending champion Barcelona 1-0 to win the Women’s Champions League for a second time.
Stina Blackstenius scored in the 75th minute after being set up by fellow second-half substitute Beth Mead Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon on Saturday.
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.
Arsenal’s 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 burgundy-and-blue.
Barcelona was considered the heavy favorite. It was aiming 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 and won nine straight in the competition and blew out Wolfsburg and English champion Chelsea in the knockout rounds.
But Arsenal locked down in defense — except for early in the second half — and created the best chances. Only two superb saves by Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll to deny Frida Maanum and Blackstenius kept it scoreless until Blackstenius finally beat her.
The victory marks an incredible finish to a rocky season for Arsenal, which included coach Jonas Eidevall resigning and being replaced by assistant Renée Seglers.
Since taking over, Seglers steered the team through a spectacular European campaign. Arsenal built its confidence from come-from-behind wins over Real Madrid and eight-time champion Lyon in the knockout rounds before laying low the almighty Barcelona.
The loss was a huge disappointment for the large group of Barcelona fans who filled the stadium that is home to Sporting Lisbon. Blue-and-burgundy shirts and flags outnumbered the red-and-white section, but their calls of “Yes we can!” in the final minutes weren’t enough to inspire a comeback by the Catalan club.
The closest Barcelona came to a goal was a shot by Claudia Pina that hit the crossbar just after halftime when the Spanish team had its best period. Otherwise, the game was to Arsenal’s liking.
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