Our Gunners strolled to victory in Oslo with a 3-1 win over Valerenga in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Goals from Alessia Russo and Frida Maanum made it six straight wins in all competitions, with just two more fixtures left in 2024.
what happened
-------------
A much-changed side lined up to face Valerenga in Oslo, looking to replicate the success of our 4-1 home victory back in October.
Young Gunner Katie Reid also made her first competitive start for the club, lining up as right-back alongside Lotte Wubben-Moy, Laia Codina and captain Katie McCabe.
The 18-year-old looked at home on the European stage from the off, composed in defence, driving down the right flank and playing several fantastic through balls to Caitlin Foord.
Undeterred by the conditions or the intensity of Valerenga, our squad continued to probe for an opener and found success just before the 30-minute mark.
And who else but Alessia Russo, on a spectacular run of form in front of goal, to give us the lead. Frida Maanum drove goalwards and found our number 23 at the edge of the area. Russo cut inside with her right boot and found the bottom corner with precision and power.
It wasn’t long before the provider became the scorer. Caitlin Foord’s fine work on the right wing found Maanum lying in wait in the penalty area. Our Norwegian resulting strike proved too powerful for the Valerenga goalkeeper to deny.
We continued that energy and momentum in the second half, looking to further expose the Norwegian side at the back. Stina Blackstenius was denied on several occasions by good goalkeeping but we’d find our third before the hour mark.
Caitlin Foord’s pace and footwork once again proved vital in spearheading the counter-attack and our Aussie whipped in a perfect cross to the back post for Russo to bag her second goal.
Slegers introduced several substitutes in the second half, including academy graduate Freya Godfrey in her Champions League debut. As our squad started to find new rhythm and partnerships on the pitch, the hosts spotted an opportunity to pull one back.
Some good play around the penalty area unlocked Tilde Lindwall near the six-yard box, and she rifled the ball past Zinsberger to make it 3-1.
WHAT IT MEANS
-------------
After Bayern Munich defeated Juventus in our group's other fixture, we now have to face off with the German side for top spot next week at Meadow Park
Before then, our squad travel to Liverpool in the WSL for a Sunday kick-off.
TEAM NEWS
---------
**Arsenal XI:** Zinsberger, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Mariona (Kuhl, 77), McCabe (C), Maanum, Foord (Hurtig, 68), Russo (Kafaji, 68), Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross (Godfrey, 84), Reid (Wienroither, 68)
Substitutes: van Domselaar, Williams, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Harbert, Mead
**Valerenga XI:** Enblom, Horte, Kovacs, Olsen, Thomsen, Vickius, Tvedten, Stolen Godo, Tennebo, Heidarsdottir, Saevik
Substitutes: Erichsen, Grinde-Hansen, Lindwall, Sesay, Arnesen, Enger, Klech
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.