Arsenal stuns Barcelona to win Women’s Champions League title

LISBON, Portugal — 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 favourite. 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 Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas won nine straight in the competition and blew out Wolfsburg and English champion Chelsea in the knockout rounds.

But Arsenal locked down in defence — 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.