Summary

  • Arsenal needed to avoid defeat by five or more goals to qualify for quarter-finals

  • Hagel scored a quickfire double and Corley added another as hosts scored three in five minutes

  • Brand had put hosts ahead before Wienroither diverted into her own goal

  • Gunners beat Hoffenheim 4-0 in the reverse fixture in October

  1. Goodnightpublished at 22:15 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2021

    FT: Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal's Women's Champions League campaign continues, but only just.

    Despite being beaten 4-1 by Hoffenheim, the Gunners finish ahead of the Germans in Group C to progress to the quarter-finals.

    The question now is if Chelsea can join their Women's Super League rivals in the draw on 20 December.

    Emma Hayes' sides face their own group decider in Germany when they face Wolfsburg on Thursday.

    Join us for live text coverage of that one from 19:45 GMT tomorrow.

  2. Postpublished at 22:09 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2021

    FT: Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    And this is how the Group C table finished.

    Arsenal finish second above Hoffenheim, with Barcelona topping the group with six wins from six after beating Koge 5-0 tonight.

    Group C tableImage source, BBC Sport
  3. Postpublished at 22:03 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2021

    FT: Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Hoffenheim were treating the Women's Champions League as an exploratory adventure this season.

    They may have fallen just short of clinching a quarter-final spot, but they go out on a high.

  4. Postpublished at 22:00 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2021

    FT: Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall spoke about not taking Women's Champions League qualification for granted and wanting to win tonight to seal their place in the last eight.

    Advancing after suffering a 4-1 defeat will not sit well with the Gunners.

  5. FULL-TIMEpublished at 21:56 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2021

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal are beaten heavily by Hoffenheim, but not heavily enough, and still manage to advance to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League.

    The hosts were magnificent, even though they fell short of the five-goal win they needed to reach the knockout stage.

  6. Postpublished at 90+4

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    We are into the final minute of injury time and the hosts have a corner. Nicole Billa sends it in, it comes to nothing.

    They are surely out of time now...

  7. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 90+3

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal are looking to eat up time with another change.

    Vivianne Miedema makes way for Viki Schnaderbeck. Two minutes of injury time remains.

  8. Postpublished at 90+2

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    This chance would have had Arsenal feeling pretty nervous.

    Hoffenheim captain Fabienne Dongus gets on the ball outside the box and goes for goal. Her effort, however, is off target.

  9. Postpublished at 90 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    We are going to have four minutes of injury time. Plenty of time for this game to throw up a another surprise or two, I'd say.

  10. GREAT SAVE!published at 89 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    It's a double save from Martina Tufekovic in the end.

    The Hoffenheim shot-stopper does well to keep Vivianne Miedema out when the striker was through one-on-one.

    The danger isn't over, as Miedema collects the rebound. She plays the ball back to Jordan Nobbs, whose deflected shot is gratefully collected by the keeper.

  11. Postpublished at 88 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    And Kocsan does go for goal, but it's straight at Lydia Williams. Arsenal will be relieved.

  12. Postpublished at 87 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema gives away a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the area.

    Petra Kocsan stands over it... she is surely going direct.

  13. Postpublished at 85 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Just five minutes of normal time remains.

    Time seems to be running our for Hoffenheim. In saying that, they stunned Arsenal with three goals in five minutes earlier in the half.

  14. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 84 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    This strikes me as a surprising change for Hoffenheim as Gia Corley, who has scored one and created another tonight, goes off for Petra Kocsan.

  15. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 83 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    More fresh legs coming on from Hoffenheim. Laura Wienroither goes off for Judith Steinert.

  16. Postpublished at 80 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    We are into the final 10 minutes in Hoffenheim.

    Can the hosts pull of what seemed so improbable at the start of the night and beat Arsenal by five goals to advance in the Champions League? They need only score two more goals while keeping Arsenal out at the other end.

    Or will the Gunners hold on?

  17. Postpublished at 79 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Another change for Hoffenheim. Franziska Harsch replaces Chantal Hagel, whose two goals earlier in the half turned the race for a quarter-final spot on its head.

  18. YELLOW CARDpublished at 78 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Lia Walti is now shown a yellow card for Arsenal. She lunges into an attempted tackle on Fabienne Dongus and times it all wrong.

  19. Postpublished at 76 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal goalkeeper Lydia Williams is down again.

    She comes out to try punch a cross clear and clatters into Nicole Billa. There was nothing in the challenge as the striker had every right to throw herself at it.

  20. Postpublished at 72 mins

    Hoffenheim 4-1 Arsenal

    Vivianne Miedema links up with Nikita Parris on the edge of the area then turns to run into the box.

    Parris clips a nice cross in for the striker, but Miedema can only head over the bar.

    Arsenal have struggled to get going tonight against a spirited and slick Hoffenheim.