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Arsenal thrash AS FAR Rabat to reach Champions Cup final

Arsenal celebrate scoring against AS FAR RabatGetty Images

At a glance

Renee Slegers makes six changes to Arsenal's starting XI but names a relatively strong team for their first game in the Women's Champions Cup.

Stina Blackstenius, Frida Maanum, Mariona Caldentey and Olivia Smith put Arsenal 4-0 up in the first half. Alessia Russo scores two in the second half.

AS FAR Rabat qualified as African champions, while Arsenal secured their spot by winning the Women's Champions League in May.

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Gtech Community Stadium

Arsenal booked their place in the inaugural Women's Champions Cup final with a comfortable victory over Moroccan side AS FAR Rabat.

Renee Slegers' side qualified for the competition as winners of the Women's Champions League and were strong favourites in Brentford.

They were in ruthless form, fresh from their huge victory over Chelsea in the Women's Super League on Saturday, and were 4-0 up by half-time.

African champions AS FAR Rabat showed glimpses of threat and quality but were largely overawed by Arsenal, who fielded a strong side despite making changes.

Star names such as Alessia Russo, Emily Fox and Leah Williamson were not in the starting XI but Arsenal had more than enough quality to cause problems.

Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius, who scored the winning goal in their Champions League final victory over Barcelona, headed Arsenal in front within eight minutes.

Frida Maanum's powerful strike made it 2-0 shortly afterwards, then Mariona Caldentey netted from the penalty spot and Olivia Smith added a fourth before the break.

Slegers made several changes in the second half, bringing on striker Russo with England manager Sarina Wiegman watching in the stands, and she confirmed victory with two well-taken efforts shortly afterwards.

There was also a return for England winger Chloe Kelly, who came off the bench after recovering from an injury she has managed since December.

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African champions AS FAR Rabat was Morocco's first professional outfit and has invested in its women's team like no other in Africa over the past decade.

They have dominated domestically, winning all but one league title since 2013, but were tested heavily by European champions Arsenal.

They received a bye through the first round then beat Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda in extra time to earn the right to take on Arsenal.

However, Slegers' side were full of confidence after a strong display against Chelsea at the weekend and were keen to mark their superiority quickly.

Often criticised for not capitalising on their creativity, Arsenal have fallen behind their WSL rivals this season as a result, but were clinical in Brentford.

Arsenal will have been keen to build momentum and this was a strong way of doing so, especially knowing league leaders Manchester City are up next.

Slegers was able to rotate her squad, resting key players Russo and Fox from the start, and it went to plan as Arsenal eased their way into Sunday's final.

They took their foot off the gas in the second half with the victory all but secured and Slegers made the most of her options off the bench.

The £1.7m prize money awarded to Sunday's winners is high incentive for Arsenal. It is the biggest prize pool allocated to a women's football club competition.

It would also be the perfect way to cap off their Champions League success, by going one step further in this new global competition.

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Player of the match

A. Russo

9.53

Arsenal

FAR Rabat

23A. Russo

9.53

3L. Wubben-Moy

8.44

19C. Foord

8.29

25S. Blackstenius

8.24

8Mariona Caldentey

8.23

9B. Mead

8.17

11K. McCabe

8.06

31S. Holmberg

7.92

28A. Borbe

7.91

15O. Smith

7.91

10K. Little

7.86

18C. Kelly

7.71

12F. Maanum

7.62

24T. Hinds

7.56

5Laia Codina

7.18

21V. Pelova

7.17

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11F. Tagnaout

4.67

7D. El Madani

4.33

14A. Rabbah

4.25

27H. Saïd

4.00

17H. Aït El Haj

4.00

18S. Mssoudy

4.00

5N. Benzina

3.75

8Z. Erroudany

3.75

2Z. Redouani

3.71

4S. Boukhami

3.67

92A. Lahmari

3.67

24Y. Gnammi

3.67

1K. Er-Rmichi

3.60

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After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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