Blackstenius puts Arsenal in final to answer critics
Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius’s relief was palpable as she scrappily edged Arsenal past holders Manchester City and into next month’s Continental Tyres League Cup final with an extra-time winner that will go some way towards silencing her critics.
After her club tried desperately to sign a striker on transfer-deadline day, Blackstenius could have been forgiven if her confidence had been rather low, especially when she then fired a blank on Sunday as Arsenal were held to a rare goalless draw at West Ham United in the league.
That left her without a Women’s
Super League goal since November. Fears that Arsenal would pay for their failure to sign a goalscorer were rising when Lina Hurtig spurned two glorious chances in normal time, hitting the crossbar when it looked easier to score and then heading wide.
Blackstenius herself also initially wasted good opportunities after coming off the bench, and was denied by two excellent tackles by Alex Greenwood in the box in second-half stoppage time.
That all seemed to be feeding into a narrative that Arsenal lacked a cutting edge up front in the longterm absence of Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead.
However, Blackstenius’s persistence eventually paid off. Early in the 30 minutes of extra time, with the help of a touch of good fortune as her effort was deflected in off Spain left-back Leila Ouahabi, she won the tie.
It came after Frida Maanum stole possession and slipped the ball into the path of Hurtig, whose left-wing cross found a grateful Blackstenius in the right place at the right time.
Earlier, Arsenal had appeared out
of sorts in an unfamiliar formation, playing three centre-halves. But the hosts improved just after the hour mark when Jonas Eidevall reverted to his more familiar back four.
West Ham and Chelsea will contest the second semi-final tonight and the winners will meet Arsenal in the final at Selhurst Park on March 5.