Arsenal cruised into the Women’s Champions League group stages via a comfortable 4-1 comeback aggregate win over Hacken.
Jonas Eidevall’s side were trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Sweden but turned the tie on its head in the second half thanks to goals from Lia Walti and a first for summer signing Mariona Caldentey.
Midway through the first half, Walti’s long-range effort was tipped onto the bar by Hacken goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, but the shot crashed into the net off the back of the shot stopper.
Then five minutes before half-time, a breakaway involving Alessia Russo and Beth Mead saw the ball fall to Caldentey at the back post, who found the net via a deflected effort that spooned up over the line.
Arsenal then stamped their authority on the game thanks to a lovely goal from Mead, who flicked the ball over a Hacken defender and crashed a volley into the far corner just moments after half-time.
Arsenal celebrate Beth Mead’s goal to put them 3-0 up
And with just over 10 minutes to go, three Arsenal substitutes combined as Kyra Cooney-Cross fed Caitlin Foord on the left of the box, with the Australian teeing up Frida Maanum to tuck home a fourth with a fine first-time finish.
The Gunners had to be grateful to goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger who made some strong second-half saves, including an impressive one from Hacken striker Clarissa Larisey to keep them ahead, but Arsenal ended up joining Chelsea, Manchester City and Celtic in Friday’s Champions League group stage draw with relative ease.
Was that a perfect night for Arsenal?
Arsenal winger Beth Mead to Sky Sports News:
“I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, there’s still a lot of things we can be a lot better in but in comparison to last week, we were sharper, better on the ball, switched the ball, converted chances in comparison to last week. So good performance all round.
“As a team, we always know we are going to create chances. Again at the weekend, we had chances and didn’t finish them. Today, I missed a header IN THE first half that I would back myself to score, but we created a lot of chances and put them away. That was the difference in both ties.
Arsenal celebrate Lia Walti’s first of the night
“It’s a good start to the season, we wanted three points at the weekend but we’re in the group stages of the Champions League which is where we want to be. It’s a big goal of ours, but it was a tough game at the weekend.”
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall to Sky Sports News:
“We knew it was a big challenge for us tonight. But we went into the game full of belief. We have turned around so many difficult moments before as a team and we were very determined to do that tonight again.
“They press with quite high intensity, so it’s really important how the structure off the ball is. You change the point of attack, we did that effectively a couple of times and really hurt them. They like to build out the back, getting the pressing and intensity right is the key moment. We improved on both those things.
“We spoke before the game about bravery, that every single action has a potential to be game-deciding. We were very happy that Lia Walti decided to have a shot in that moment and that gave us the start we needed tonight.”
Lia Walti’s long-range strike gave Arsenal the lead
Man City through via eight-goal aggregate win
Chloe Kelly gave Man City an early lead on the night
Man City cruised through with a 3-0 win over Paris sealing an 8-0 aggregate win, with Gareth Taylor able to rest many of his senior players in the second half.
His side needed only two minutes to take the lead in windy conditions in east Manchester, with Khadija Shaw charging down Paris goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnodizie before teeing up Chloe Kelly to apply the finish.
Kelly then saw her shot palmed onto the angle of the post and crossbar before Shaw added a second in the 31st minute, with Kelly cutting the ball back from the byline.
Bunny Shaw scored twice, including one from the spot
Clara Mateo hit the post for Paris late in the half but Shaw finished things off from the penalty spot in the second half after being tripped in the box.
When are the Champions League group stages?
The draw for the Women’s Champions League group stages takes place on Friday September 27 in Nyon.
Here are the dates for the fixtures:
Matchday 1: 8/9 October Matchday 2: 16/17 October Matchday 3: 12/13 November Matchday 4: 20/21 November Matchday 5: 11/12 December Matchday 6: 17/18 December
