**Arsenal**earned a much-needed three points in the Champions League to take their second triumph of the league phase, turning around a half time deficit to defeat **Real Madrid**2-1 at Meadow Park.
The first half was not the most inspired 45 minutes of action, but a cagey clash seemed like it could be decided by a single goal. So when Caroline Weir pulled out a moment of top class quality on the stroke of half time, fears started to grow around the ground about the title defence of the Gunners.
Fortunately for the hosts, their top striker stood up to be counted when the club needed her the most. **Alessia Russo**capped a complete performance with a brace that has put the team back on track.
Story of the Match
Pau Quesada changed little of the lineup he used in a 4-0 loss to Barcelona. Lotte Keukelaar came out for **Athenea del Castillo**as part of the front four. Caroline Weir, Linda Caicedo, and Naomie Feller filled the rest of the roles in the attack. Sara Dabritz and Filippa Angeldahl made up the midfield duo ahead of a backline with Maria Mendez, Maelle Lakrar, Yasmim and Eva Navarro.
Renee Slegers switched three members of the lineup she picked in a 0-0 draw with **Tottenham**in the derby. Chloe Kelly and Olivia Smith swapped in for Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord as the pair of wingers. Stina Blackstenius made way for Frida Maanum, and **Alessia Russo**remained upfront.
The Gunners had suffered defeats to **OL Lyonnes**and Bayern Munich before this game, so a victory would be vital to hopes of a finish in the top four of the league phase. They nearly got the perfect start after five minutes as Maanum made contact with a Kelly corner kick, but she missed the target.
Smith looked lively with her advances, using her speed to get the better of Navarro in her 1 v 1 duels. She let fly on one occasion as she drove infield, striking over the bar, but the chances were minimal.
Madrid had less of the possession, and even fewer opportunities to trouble their opposition. **Linda Caicedo**continued to drop deep to demand for the ball, setting up a shot for Weir that bounced off an **Arsenal**body but with no grounds to claim a penalty. Del Castillo cleverly engineered a corner kick that went wasted, and neither side could say that they had done enough to take the advantage.
Around the half hour mark, Smith and Kelly changed sides. Kelly immediately went on a direct dribble infield from the left wing, clipping a cross slightly too heavily for any red and white shirts in the box. Moments later, Smith repeated the act from the right flank, drawing contact from Dabritz. However, the officials felt that the midfielder had got clean enough contact to avoid a penalty.
Shot stopper **Daphne van Domselaar**had barely faced any pressure before the break, patting down an offside strike from Feller in the 37th minute. However, she would soon suffer a serious setback.
McCabe tried to connect with Mariona deep in her half of the field, but the midfielder committed a foul as she caught Dabritz. The guests set up for a free kick delivery into the danger zone, and Catley cleared with her head. But Weir was on hand to slam a brilliant volley into the back of the net from the second ball. The Spanish side had only produced one shot on target, but they had gone ahead.
The second half started in the worst possible way for the hosts. Lotte Wubben-Moy misplaced a sideways pass for Steph Catley from the restart, and Weir would pounce on the error. She drove inside before feeding the ball to Caicedo, whose effort from outside the box hit the side netting.
Seconds later, the Gunners gave the ball away again needlessly, and Weir would test van Domselaar. Madrid had the wind in their sails, and a second strike could have completely deflated the confidence.
However, a talismanic figure arose to bail the team out of danger. Wubben-Moy stepped in to mop up a potential transition, sending the ball out to Kelly. The winger steered a looping delivery into the danger zone, and Russo leapt above her marker to direct a headed effort past Misa Rodriguez.
The momentum moved decisively in the favour of Slegers’ side. Smith continued to carry the charge, coming close to forcing a key error out of Misa with a shot. The goalkeeper gathered the ball at the second attempt— just in time to avoid a close range tap-in for Kelly or Russo in the penalty area.
Smith herself then had a clear opening to complete the turnaround in the 60th minute. Another looping cross bounced over initial target Russo to the winger, who lost her balance as she swivelled to volley.
Despite the good work of Kelly and Smith, Slegers selected the pair to be replaced for the final half hour of the contest. Mead and Foord filled in their positions, and the substitutes made an impact.
Foord immediately thrust herself into the action, forcing Madrid defenders to clear a cross. Mead picked up the pieces with a pinpoint set-piece, and Russo scored her second header of the night.
The striker was not done with her work. Hungry for her hat-trick, the forward fired a shot just wide of the target on the swivel from an offside position before breaking the last line again to see a strike smothered by Misa. **Stina Blackstenius**eventually came onto the field as Russo’s replacement.
Madrid were not dead and buried. Yasmim fired a shot wide of the mark in the 72nd minute and **Alba Redondo**ran through into the final third in injury time without truly testing van Domselaar. The ending was nervy for the Gunners, but they managed to complete the job that was required.
Player of the Match: Alessia Russo
Having signed a new contract with the club in September, **Alessia Russo**stayed for times like this.
An all-round forward, she impressed with her work rate, ability to spin defenders and hold up the play. But strikers are judged most by goals, and she delivered them in a time of need for the team.