Wolfsburg reaches Women's Champions League semifinals
Wolfsburg's Alexandra Popp, left, challenges for the ball with PSG's Kheira Hamraoui during the women's Champions League soccer quarterfinal second leg soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Paris Saint-Germain in Wolfsburg, Germany, Thursday, March 30, 2023. Credit: AP/Martin Meissner
Two-time champion Wolfsburg advanced to the semifinals of the Women's Champions League for the second year in a row after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on aggregate on Thursday.
After the German team won 1-0 at the Parc des Princes last week, Alexandra Popp's goal in the 20th minute proved decisive in front of 14,367 fans at the VW Arena despite Kadidiatou Diani's equalizer 10 minutes later.
Wolfsburg hit the woodwork three times.
"We are mega happy and mega proud, it was a tough fight,” Popp told broadcaster DAZN. “We fought our way in, took the duels. The first goal was extremely important for us.”
Unbeaten in eight Champions League matches this season, Wolfsburg will face Arsenal in April's semifinals after the London club advanced Wednesday by beating Bayern Munich 2-0 at Emirates Stadium to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg.
Defending champion Lyon faced Chelsea later Thursday, with the winner taking on Barcelona, which advanced 6-1 on aggregate against Roma.
Popp put Wolfsburg in the driver's seat with a superb strike into the far corner. PSG pushed hard for an equalizer and deservedly got it when Diani headed home a cross past goalkeeper Merle Frohms.
Wolfsburg's Alexandra Popp celebrates in the fan corner after the women's Champions League soccer quarterfinal second leg soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Paris Saint-Germain in Wolfsburg, Germany, Thursday, March 30, 2023. Credit: AP/Martin Meissner
PSG's hopes of progressing took a blow when Diani was forced off just before the break with a shoulder injury.
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