Report: Arsenal 4-1 Vålerenga (inc goals)
Yesterday at 04:59 PM
Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Codina, McCabe; Little, Wälti; Mead, Mariona, Foord; Russo
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Williams, Catley, Reid, Cooney-Cross, Kühl, Maanum, Kafaji, Hurtig, Godfrey, Lia, Blackstenius
Arsenal have returned to winning ways, beating Vålerenga 4-1 on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Emily Fox and Caitlin Foord scored in the first half, before Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo added gloss to the scoreline with two late second half goals.
Renée Slegers, the Interim Head Coach, made one change to Arsenal’s starting lineup, with Laia Codina replacing Lotte Wubben-Moy. More changes had been expected, prior to Jonas Eidevall’s resignation.
Arsenal needed a bright start, and they got off to a fast start. Foord played a one two with Mariona and drove into the box, and while Russo couldn’t get a shot away, Fox, in the centre of the box, finished to give Arsenal the lead 65 seconds into the match. 1-0.
Russo thought she had doubled Arsenal’s lead on 9 minutes, finishing well after collecting a through pass, but she was correctly flagged offside. Thirty seconds, Russo ran onto a long pass from Fox, drove into a box, but shot straight at the goalkeeper from a narrow angle.
McCabe made a hash of a clearance after a Våleranga cross, and Thomsen’s shot needed Van Domselaar’s intervention, with the keeper pushing the shot around the post.
From a corner, Arsenal had a flurry of chances: Little had a shot blocked, and then Russo had two shots pushed away by Enblom. However, Våleranga could not keep Arsenal out, with Foord adding a second goal on 29 minutes. Mariona carried the ball through the middle, and played left to Mead. Her curled shot deflected off Horte and Enblom, and came to the Australian on the goal line, who buried her shot into the roof of the net. 2-0.
Våleranga, though, would pull a goal back on 36 minutes. Codina dallied on the ball, was pressured by Saevik, and lost the ball. With Williamson coming over to help, and there was an easy ball to an open Tvedten, who slotted past Van Domselaar. 2-1.
Williamson had a chance to extend the lead on 41 minutes. Following a corner, Arsenal reset and from the inside-right McCabe played a deep inswinging cross, and Williamson just missed connecting, with Enblom advancing out of goal.
Williamson could’ve added to the lead on the stroke of half time. McCabe’s corner came all the way through, but Williamson couldn’t make a clean connection.
Saevik should’ve equalised on 53 minutes. The forward beat Codina for pace, and when Williamson came to cover, she cut away from Williamson with ease. With just Van Domselaar to beat, she blazed over the bar.
Foord tried to respond, driving through the centre, but having been forced wide, her shot was weakly struck. Williamson then shot from range, but it was down the throat of Enblom, who saved comfortably.
Arsenal were again carless in their own third, with Mariona losing the ball under pressure. Bjelda collected a cutback and from the edge of the box, her shot was deflected behind for a corner. Arsenal were able to clear, but it was a reminder of the danger they faced as long as the lead remained one.
On 60 minutes, Arsenal made a double substitution. Frida Maanum replaced Beth Mead, and Steph Catley replaced Katie McCabe.
Mariona then had a half chance, but she didn’t get the shot right as she looked to shoot over Enblom. Våleranga looked to counter from the shot, but Foord stopped with a heavy challenge, earning a yellow in the process.
On 78 minutes, Blackstenius replaced Foord.
Blackstenius should’ve settled the game on 83 minutes. She was played through on goal by Maanum, but lost the ball when she looked to go around Enblom. Maanum then had the follow-up blocked.
Codina was booked after taking down Saevick.
Mariona would settle the game on 85 minutes. Maanum and Blackstenius combined, with Maanum collecting Russo’s pass and playing wide to Blackstenius. Blackstenius cut the ball across the box for Mariona, who took a touch and finished powerfully. 3-1.
A minute later, Blackstenius was played through again. This time she went for goal. Her shot was saved by Enblom, and Blackstenius hit the rebound off the bar.
Arsenal made two final substitutions in the first minute of stoppage time, with Katie Reid replacing Codina, and Lina Hurtig replacing Lia Wälti.
Russo made it 4-1 in the final minute of stoppage time. With lots of space in midfield, Mariona ran onto Hurtig’s header, and played the ball through to Russo whose finish nutmegged Enblom for her first goal since Arsenal beat Rangers in early September. 4-1.
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