March 31, 2002

Gunners lose their trophies and a chance for the new UEFA Cup for clubs as UEFA semi-finals set without them

Colin Aldis

At the beginning of the 2001-02 season, treble winners Arsenal must

have had high hopes of retaining titles and also doing well in the new UEFA Cup competition for clubs. But odd goal defeats by Fulham in the League Cup Semi-final, and by the Doncaster Belles in the AXA sponsored FA Cup Quarter-final plus last evenings 2-1 win for Toulouse, means only the FA Premier League title is in their grasp.

In the 2nd (away) leg, starting at 1-1 from the home match Melanie Briche put Toulouse ahead in the 81^st. minute and only a 90^th minute goal by Ellen Maggs kept Arsenal in the game for extra time where at 115 minutes Marie-Ange Kramo scored the winner for the French Champions.

Arsenal must now re-group for the last 7 remaining matches in the league with 11 wins and no dropped points behind them. Winning the league would be some consololation for the 'gunners', and this would also give them qualification for the 2nd UEFA Womens Cup.

1^st. UEFA Cup semi-final match ups

Toulouse will play in the two leg semi-final against Frankfort who beat Odense 2-1. In the other semi-final HJK Helsinki will play UMEA, all matches to be played in April.