Russo on target as Arsenal top Chelsea in Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg

[p]The ‌Gunners [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-8CKOoQdn/chelsea-Q7Hu2UDD/?mid=jLMsXBsH"]roared into an early lead[/a] ‌as Swedish forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blackstenius-stina/tvFnIayL/"]Stina Blackstenius[/a], who scored the only goal of ‌last season's final against Barcelona, ⁠headed ‌the opener from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccabe-katie/MJ7Ld038/"]Katie McCabe[/a]'s free kick ​in the 22nd minute.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/8CKOoQdn/"]Arsenal[/a] went in 2-0 up ​at the break thanks to a superb long-range strike from England ⁠winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kelly-chloe/CjgWGoHq/"]Chloe ​Kelly[/a], but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/Q7Hu2UDD/"]Chelsea[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lauren/nR4k89xo/"]Lauren James[/a] lashed an even better effort into the top corner in the ‌66th minute to reduce the deficit.[/p][embed guid="472964f0-bb87-40b7-9650-a210e6fac95f" url="https://x.com/UWCL/status/2036563974032953542?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]With the wind howling around the Emirates Stadium and the rain pouring down, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russo-alessio/rP1p7FDh/"]Russo[/a] restored Arsenal's two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg as she latched on to a Blackstenius pass ‌and steered the ball past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hampton-hannah/hI89NEeP/"]​Hannah Hampton[/a].[/p][p]Earlier in the evening, a ‌deflected [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beerensteyn-lineth/pKX8sIG4/"]Lineth Beerensteyn[/a] shot gave German side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolfsburg/Yaedf2i2/"]VfL Wolfsburg[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-champions-league-women-lineth-beerensteyn-hands-wolfsburg-key-win-over-ol-lyonnes-in-uwcl-quarterfinals/0Cly8usJ/"]a 1-0 win[/a] over eight-time champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/ro3DSjf2/"]OL Lyonnes[/a] ahead of ⁠next week's ⁠second leg in ‌France.[/p]