Arsenal fans (and Katie McCabe fans) may be hurting after losing to 2-3 to Wolfsburg in the semifinal of the Women's Champion League, the second time in a row they've been knocked out by the European champs of 2013 and 2014. But even for the disappointed side, there's a lot to celebrate: the match, which sold out London's Emirates stadium, was proof of the massive growth of the women's game in recent years.
The attendance was over 60,000 — 60,063, to be precise, a British record. Compare that to when the same two teams faced each other, also in a semi-final, a decade ago. That match was played on aggregate: the first leg, played in Arsenal WFC's small home stadium in Borehamwood, had an attendance of just 1,406.
That's a crowd over 40 times as large, just ten years later.
Nor is this crowd the exception: Arsenal set a record for Women's Super League attendance last September in a 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in front of a crowd of 47,367.
Those who managed to get tickets to Monday's match were treated to a nail-biting game as the teams traded goals before Wolfsburg substitute Pauline Brenner scored the winning goal in extra-time.
Wolfsburg will face favourites Barcelona in the Champions League final June 3.
