Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze has claimed that the Blues were the "better team" across their Women's Champions League quarter-final tie against Arsenal despite suffering a painful aggregate defeat. The England international believes a lack of efficiency in front of goal was the only difference between the two London rivals.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor pulled out her mobile phone during a post-match interview to showcase video evidence of a controversial officiating decision. The Blues boss was left incensed after Arsenal defender Katie McCabe escaped punishment despite pulling Alyssa Thompson’s hair in the closing stages of their Women's Champions League quarter-final.
Chelsea were knocked out of the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday after failing to overturn a 3-1 aggregate deficit to Arsenal, winning 1-0 in the second leg of their quarter-final. The Blues gave themselves too much to do after their defeat at the Emirates Stadium last week and their wastefulness in front of goal is to blame for another failed European campaign.
Arsenal's Women's Champions League title defence remains well and truly on track after the Gunners withstood Chelsea's attempts at a comeback on Wednesday, falling to a narrow and late 1-0 defeat to win 3-2 on aggregate. It felt like the Blues had to start fast and score early to stand any chance of overcoming the deficit, and so once Arsenal had prevented them from doing exactly that, progression to the semi-finals rarely looked in doubt.
Manchester United's Women's Champions League adventure came to a dramatic end on Wednesday, as Bayern Munich staged a late comeback to beat the Red Devils 2-1 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate. Marc Skinner's side started well in Germany and took a deserved early lead through Melvine Malard, but a defensive approach to the second half proved extremely costly as United succumbed to two late goals that sent the German champions through to the semi-finals, where they will likely face Barcelona.
Orlando City and Louisville City share the record for the most USL Championship titles, each winning the championship two times. Orlando City won in 2011 and 2013, while Louisville City won in 2017 and 2018.
How many teams are in the USL?
The 2024 season of USL will see 24 teams compete for the league. When the league was founded in 2011 as USL Pro, only 12 teams contested. That number rose to 14 in 2014, 24 in 2015, 30 in 2017, 36 in 2019, and now back at 24.
Who has made the most USL appearances ever?
Jamaican midfielder Kenardo Forbes is the player with the most appearances in USL history, having featured in 303 games.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the USL?
With 105 goals (and counting) in 249 games, Jamaican forward Dane Kelly is USL's leading goalscorer of all-time.
Who is the youngest player ever in the USL and how old was he?
Axel Kei, a centre-forward, holds the record as the youngest-ever player in USL Championship history. He made his debut in 2021 at the remarkable age of 13 years and 282 days.
Which famous players have played in the USL?
Jamie Vardy, Gareth Bale, James Maddison, John Stones, and Darren Bent are some of the most iconic players to have played in the Championship.
Which famous managers have managed in the USL?
Alen Marcina, Mark Briggs, Trevor James, and Noah Delgado are among the most popular coaches in USL history.
What is the biggest stadium in the USL?
Protective Stadium, which is where Birmingham Legion FC play their home games, is the biggest stadium in the USL with a capacity of 47,000.
Who is the most expensive player in the history of the USL?
Fanendo Ali is the most expensive player in USL history, being bought for $1 million (allocation money) by FC Cincinnati in a trade with Portland Timbers.