Going into tonight’s clash at Stamford Bridge, Sonia Bompastor's side needed to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit. In the opening period, Sjoeke Nusken came close, as did Alyssa Thompson twice. Yet the opener we needed didn't arrive.

In the second period, the Blues continued to create the better opportunities. Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar produced a fine stop to deny James, Veerle Buurman struck the woodwork, and Nuksen also saw a header hit the post.

The German midfielder did eventually find the net: thundering a finish home in second-half stoppage time. However, it was too late for Blues to complete the turnaround needed to force extra time, with our Champions League dream ended for another campaign.

Starting well

Bompastor made two changes to her side, with Kadeisha Buchanan and Erin Cuthbert restored to the starting XI. Naomi Girma and Wieke Kaptein dropped down to the substitutes' bench.

With a two-goal deficit to overcome, a strong start from the Blues was imperative. It was produced by Bompastor's side, with the first clear chance of the contest fashioned after just seven minutes.

It was created by Ellie Carpenter, who broke down the right flank and assessed her options in the penalty area. The Australian cut the ball back to Nusken, who attempted to guide a finish into the corner from 15 yards. Unfortunately, her effort bounced wide of the post.

A saved attempt from distance via Alessia Russo and a shot that comfortably cleared the crossbar from Katie McCabe were the best Arsenal offered in the opening 35 minutes. The Blues, meanwhile, came agonisingly close to an opener once again through Thompson.

It was a fine passage of play, which saw Lucy Bronze rap the ball into Nusken, who intelligently back-heeled it into the path of Thompson. The American took a touch and fired toward goal from the edge of the area, but her shot whistled just wide of the post.

Pushing hard

The Blues continued to push. Another powerful run from Carpenter enabled her to play an enticing cross into the six-yard box, but no Chelsea attacker could get on the end of it.

Thompson then had her second attempt of the night, as after twice exchanging one-twos with Sam Kerr, the Chelsea winger broke into the Arsenal penalty area and drilled a shot at goal. Unfortunately, the ball flew over the crossbar.

Lauren James was heavily involved in our build-up and several promising passages of possession in the opening 45 minutes. She created the final half-chance of the opening period, with a cross aimed in Thompson's direction, but she couldn't make contact and we still trailed by two goals at the break.

Clock ticking down

The second half was a battle against the scoreboard and the clock. The Blues needed to force an opener and, six minutes after the restart, we came close once more.

After reclaiming possession in our half, Nusken produced a raking pass into the path of Kerr. The Chelsea striker escaped the attention of two Arsenal defenders and clipped a shot toward the top corner. However, Arsenal goalkeeper van Domselaar produced a fine one-handed stop to deny the Blues.

On the hour mark, Bompastor turned to her bench. Niamh Charles replaced Buchanan, with Buurman moving into centre-back, and Sandy Baltimore came on for Cuthbert, which saw Nusken drop into midfield alongside Keira Walsh, Thompson move over the right flank and James move infield.

Hannah Hampton in the Chelsea goal hadn't been hugely tested on the night; stoic defending from the Blues' defenders had often stopped Arsenal's attempts before they made it to goal. There were a couple of good opportunities for the visitors, the second of which saw Stina Blackstenius head over from close range.

As the minutes ticked down, the Blues committed more players forward. It left gaps for Arsenal to exploit, but it was our only option.

Van Domselaar denied Kerr with a smart stop, although the offside flag was raised against the Australian international. And a Baltimore cross-cum-shot evaded the Chelsea No.20. James then dragged an attempt wide from the edge of the box.

With ten minutes to play, Arsenal appeared to have killed the tie; Blackstenius headed home from close range following a cross from Beth Mead. But, following a VAR review, the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

We instantly launched an attack from the resultant free-kick, and James clipped a cross to the near post that was glanced toward the far corner by Nusken. Once again, though, the ball drifted just the wrong side of the post.

In the final ten minutes, the Blues didn't relent. James forced van Domselaar into an excellent reaction save with a powerful drive and, on the rebound, Buurman could only divert her effort against the post.

From our next attack, we struck the woodwork again. Bronze delivered a cross that Nusken headed powerfully toward goal. Van Domselaar got a touch to divert the ball onto the post and it was cleared off the line. Arsenal then struck the post themselves.

Late hope

Five minutes were added. In the third of those, we finally made the breakthrough. Kerr squeezed a cross in from the left flank and Nusken drilled home a finish. Van Domselaar was, finally, beaten.

We had very little time to find the decisive second – and in her efforts to try to help the Blues level the tie, Bompastor was dismissed by referee Frida Mia Klarlund.

There was still time for one final chance. Bronze crossed in from the right flank and Kaptein tried to steer a header toward goal. But the ball cleared the crossbar and the Blues' Champions League campaign was brought to an end moments later.

What comes next

Our FA Cup campaign resumes on Easter Monday, as we host Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals at Kingsmeadow.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton; Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan (Charles 60), Buurman; Nusken, Walsh (Kaptein 83), Cuthbert (c) (Baltimore 60); James, Kerr, Thompson
Chelsea substitutes: Peng, Spencer, Girma, Sarwie, Potter
Goalscorers: Nuksen 90+3
Booked: Carpenter 48, James 62

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox (Holmerg 69), Wubben-Moy, Catley (Hinds 45+1), McCabe; Little Caldentey; Smith (Mead 69), Russo, Foord; Blackstenius
Arsenal substitutes: Borbe, Codina, Maanum, Kelly, Votikova, Pelova
Booked: Hinds 65