Arsenal: Zinsberger; Fox (Wienroither ‘89), Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Wälti (32.Cooney-Cross ‘76), Little; Mead (Foord ‘66), Russo (Maanum ‘76), Mariona; (Kafaji ‘89) Blackstenius
Substitutes: Van Domselaar, Williams, Wienroither, Reid, Cooney-Cross, Kühl, Maanum, Harbert, Kafaji, Godfrey, Lia, Foord
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Arsenal are into the group stages of the Champions League after a consummate 4-0 win over Hacken. Despite being 1-0 down from the first leg in Sweden, a commanding performance saw the Gunners comfortably overturn the deficit and qualify for the group stages.
Jonas Eidevall made two changes to the team. Alessia Russo started with Stina Blackstenius, and Lia Wälti returned to the starting lineup, with Kyra Cooney-Cross and Frida Maanum dropping to the bench.
First Half
Mariona had an early effort, cutting inside onto her right and shooting from the edge of the box. With a slippery surface, Falk did well to hold and not spill.
Arsenal should’ve taken the lead on 8 minutes. A mistake let Beth Mead in, but with Falk advancing and little time, she dinked her shot straight at Falk, who then prevented Mead from getting onto the rebound by colliding with her, as the referee played on.
A loose ball from Fox led to a Häcken counter-attack, which Wubben-Moy stopped through illegal means, earning a yellow card after she pulled Larisey down.
Russo then went close, receiving a pass from Mariona, driving inside and shooting from a tight angle, with Falk saving for a corner.
Wälti then played a really dangerous cutback with Häcken hacking clear, as Arsenal began to turn the screw.
Arsenal leveled the tie on 23 minutes through an unlikely source. Collecting a loose ball in central midfield, Lia Wälti went for goal, and her left footed shot was perfectly placed over Falk, bouncing in off the crossbar and Falk. 1-0.
Arsenal continued to put pressure on the Häcken goal, with Blackstenius heading wide from Mead’s free kick.
Arsenal went 2-0 up in the 40th minute. Russo attempted to slip Blackstenius in, but her touch was heavy. Mead, though, charged down the rebound and the ball came to Mariona whose shot went over Falk via a deflection to put Arsenal ahead in the tie. 2-0.
In the third minute of first half stoppage time, Falk saved a sharp shot from Blackstenius.
Second Half
The first chance of the half fell to Hacken when Mariona played a blind pass back towards her own goal and straight to Tabitha Tindell, who feinted inside Codina but Zinsberger kept her shot out. But soon after Arsenal moved into a three goal lead when Blackstenius and McCabe combined to cross into the area. Hacken cleared the first cross but McCabe hooked the ball back into the area and Beth Mead controlled, swivelled and volleyed the ball into the net.
Vintage Beth Mead goal.
— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) September 26, 2024
Arsenal thought they had a fourth when Wubben-Moy played a slide rule pass into the right channel for Blackstenius, who slotted the ball home but was flagged offside. Zinsberger pulled off an excellent close range save on 68 minutes when the ball dropped to Tindell in the box and she prodded towards goal but Zinsberger’s reflexes were in check and she saved with her foot.
Russo caused problems again down by the Hacken touchline, robbing a Hacken defender os possession before advancing into the area, but her shot from a tight angle was turned around the post. Arsenal came close to a fourth again when Hacken over played in their area and keeper Jennifer Falke passed the ball straight to Mariona, who poked her shot wide.
Arsenal were 4-0 up on 77 minutes as Arsenal burgled Hacken of possession again and the subs combined as Cooney-Cross swept the ball to Foord on the left, her cutback was steered into the net by the onrushing Maanum.
FRIDA UWCL MAANUM ITS IN HER BLOOD pic.twitter.com/1ihsMug4b1
— 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 (@miedemaftevans) September 26, 2024
Cooney-Cross tried to get in on the act herself on 83 minutes but her drive from range was saved well by Falk. In the end, Arsenal sailed through to the group stages.
Lia Walton is such a graceful footballer… And I continue to get surprised by Codina!
Brilliant display. Now let’s get the real party started and win it all!
Btw, good to see 3 WSL teams in the hat.
Shame for KCC that she plays in the same position as Lia Wälti. Lia had a blinder today!
Really. But I think we can give Kim a rest every now and then and play Lia and KCC together… That way, she will get a lot of game time too.
1- Heart test game;
2- Tell Erin Cuthbert that Arsenal will no longer watch the CL on television;
3- Frida is leaving her mark in every game;
4- Beth Mead scored the most beautiful goal so far;
5- Incredible the 3 biggest teams in England in the Champions League; 6- Lia Walti is our female Tony Kroos;
7- Please provide blazers for these Arsenal girls, enough of wearing those adidas clothes. They are now in the women’s Champions League!!!!!!
Hacken’s coach saying that Arsenal would play tired due to the last game and they would be more rested, I think his strategy didn’t work very well, his team got tired first, more respect for the opposing teams.
Good result, especially for a manager who needed to qualify after last season.
His celebrations show he knew he had to go through.