Arsenal: Borbe; Hinds, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Cooney-Cross, Little; Mead, Mariona, Smith; Russo
Substitutes: Liddiard, Fox, Codina, Williamson, Maanum, Foord, Blackstenius, Harwood
Arsenal have finished 5th in the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase after beating OH Leuven 3-0. Results elsewhere, though, did not go Arsenal’s way for a top 4 finish but by finishing 5th, Arsenal will get a seeded draw and will avoid Barcelona and Lyon until at least the semi-finak.
Renée Slegers made one change to the team that beat Everton on Saturday, as Taylor Hinds replaced Emily Fox.
Smith created a good chance on 3 minutes. Mariona played the ball through to her, and Smith cut back onto her right foot, sending the defender sliding. She picked out Russo in the box, but her header was straight at the goalkeeper.
On 12 minutes, Little played Mariona into the penalty box, but with Russo in the middle, Mariona’s cross from the goal line was too close to the keeper.
Olivia Smith put Arsenal ahead in the 18 minute. She played a one-two with Mariona and burst past Nagy. Driving into the box, her initial shot was saved, but she slammed the ball into the roof of the net at the second attempt. 0-1.
Beth Mead made it 2-0 on 27 minutes. Little played into Russo on the edge of the box. She got away from her defender, carried the ball across and then played to Mead on the right. She cut onto her left and fired her shot into the corner of the goal. 0-2.
Russo was almost provider again, as her cross flashed across the box but Taylor Hinds couldn’t make full contact.
Russo then collected a pass from Mariona and drove on under pressure. Stopped outside the box, she shaped to shoot but couldn’t get power on the effort, with the shot dribbling wide of the goal.
Arsenal won a free kick on the edge of the area after Little was fouled, with the referee correctly deeming that there was no longer an advantage after Mariona delayed playing in the box. Mariona’s shot was pushed over the bar by Seynhaeve. After the corner, Arsenal reset, and McCabe’s deep cross found Wubben-Moy, but her header was saved by Seynhaeve.
Russo found Mead in the box, but her shot was parried away by Seynhaeve, as Arsenal couldn’t quite wrap up the game before the end of the first half.
Smith led an Arsenal counter, playing left to Russo, before getting the ball back from Russo. At the edge of the box, she shot, but her shot was low and lacked power and Seynhaeve gathered easily.
From a corner, Leuven nearly crafted an opportunity from a loose ball but Arsenal scrambled the ball away. Smith then countered, and although she overran the ball, Arsenal crafted a chance. McCabe linked with Russo who found Smith in the middle but she again shot straight at Seynhaeve.
On 65 minutes, Slegers made a triple change. Leah Williamson, Caitlin Foord, and Stina Blackstenius came on, with Catley, Smith, and Little going off. Russo dropped to #10, with Mariona dropping into central midfield.
On 67 minutes Cooney-Cross played a magnificent ball through to Foord. She cutback, with Janssen deflecting the ball past Seynhaeve and into the net. The flag went up for offside, but after a VAR check the goal was given, with Foord onside. 0-3.
Hinds and Blackstenius combined on the right. Blackstenius crossed into the middle but Foord, under pressure, headed wide.
Emily Fox replaced Mariona Caldentey on 77 minutes, with Mariona coming off because of injury. Hinds went to left back and McCabe went into central midfield.
On 83 minutes Frida Maanum replaced Russo.
Mead shot just wide with her left foot after a corner.
Foord played a good cross into the box on 90 minutes, and Mead headed across the box but neither Blackstenius nor Maanum could make contact.