Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Cooney-Cross; Foord, Russo, Mariona; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Zinsberger (GK), Williams (GK), Wubben-Moy, Codina, Mead, Maanum, Kafaji, Hurtig, Kühl, Wienroither, Godfrey, Reid
Arsenal have won Group C of the Champions League after beating Bayern Munich 3-2. On a night with extremely difficult wind conditions, all 5 goals came from set pieces, as Arsenal and Bayern traded leads, before Arsenal went ahead late through a Mariona penalty.
Renée Slegers made two changes, with Kim Little and Stina Blackstenius coming into the starting lineup. Frida Maanum and Beth Mead dropped to the bench as Mariona returned to the wing, and Alessia Russo played as a number 10.
First Half
Arsenal almost found a way through as Russo and Mariona combined outside of the penalty box, but Mariona slightly overhit the through ball for Blackstenius.
Arsenal took the lead on 7 minutes. McCabe won a corner, and from the corner, Cooney-Cross’ delivery went straight to the middle of the penalty box, where it was headed in by Viggósdottir, under pressure from Caitlin Foord. 1-0.
Russo went close on 21 minutes, as Arsenal looked for a second. Arsenal pounced on a loose ball, and Russo fired just wide of the post from the edge of the box.
Bühl cut onto the inside and played an inswinging cross. Catley cleared, but her clearance came to Gwinn on the edge of the box, who shot over the crossbar.
Bühl took advantage of a loose pass from Fox, working the ball from side to side. Bühl took on Fox and crossed, and Van Domselaar had to parry behind for a corner. From the corner, Bayern could’ve equalised with the ball loose in the box, but Catley eventually cleared.
On 38 minutes, Harder got across Williamson, and reached Dallman’s low cross, but she was denied by Van Domselaar. From the corner, though, Bayern equalised. The corner was wind-aided as it was driven to the back post, and Stanway got higher than Russo. Her header was kept along the goal line, where it was turned in by Eriksson. 1-1.
Arsenal nearly retook the lead on 39 minutes. From the right, Foord drove and cut the ball back. Zadrazil reached out to clear, but her clearance hit her own crossbar, and Bayern scrambled behind for a corner. Russo met McCabe’s deep corner, but the header was cleared away.
Second Half
Van Domselaar had some difficulty claiming a Gwinn cross, highlighting the role the wind was having any time the ball was in the air.
Blackstenius had an excellent chance to put Arsenal ahead on 56 minutes. Seizing on an underhit backpass, Blackstenius rounded Eahmutovic. Having gone too far and widened the angle, she delayed shooting, and Eahmutovic grabbed the ball.
Bayern immediately counter-attacked, and Van Domselaar was forced into a save. From the corner, the ball was floated over the Arsenal defence by Gwinn in the second phase, and Eriksson was on hand to get a guiding touch past Van Domselaar. 1-2.
Arsenal were behind for only a minute, and the goal came, again, from a corner. McCabe’s delivery was deep, Eahmutovic came and didn’t claim, and Russo buried the chance. 2-2.
On 60 minutes, Beth Mead and Frida Maanum replaced Stina Blackstenius and Kim Little.
Foord won the ball back and drove toward goal, but couldn’t get a shot away under pressure from Gwinn.
On 78 minutes, Lina Hurtig replaced Foord.
A clever flick got Lohmann in behind Catley, and in space. Catley got back and Lohmann sent in a dangerous cross that Fox was able to clear away.
On 84 minutes Mead won a corner after McCabe crossed, with her header deflected behind by Eriksson. From the corner, the ball came to Mariona on the edge of the area. She took a touch and then a shot, and her shot was deflected behind. The referee pointed towards the goal, with Arsenal players furious, before realising that she had given a penalty, because Hansen’s arm deflected the shot behind.
Mariona stepped up to the spot, sent Eahmutovic the wrong way and passed the ball into the corner. 3-2.
On 89 minutes, Arsenal made a double change. Lotte Wubben-Moy and Rosa Kafaji replaced Alessia Russo and Kyra Cooney-Cross. Kafaji went up front, and Maanum dropped into central midfield, with Slegers anticipating that Bayern would play the ball into the box.
5 minutes were added on at the end of the second half.
Good pressure from Arsenal won the ball back in the penalty area, but Hurtig couldn’t take advantage. Arsenal won a throw-in, though, and ate two minutes of time with the ball in deep in the corner.
Bayern had time to fling the ball into the box one last time, but the ball came through to Van Domselaar. She kicked long, giving Bayern a goal kick, and then the whistle blew.