**Arsenal:** Borbe; Holmberg, Williamson, Catley, Hinds; Little, Cooney-Cross; Kelly, Maanum, Foord; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Misa, Damm, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Stanway, Mariona, Smith, Reuteler, Baum, Batlle, Russo, Cerci
Arsenal have won their first Champions League match, beating HB Koge 1-0. The result and performance will do little to assuage fans, with Arsenal taking until a 92nd minute penalty to finally break down a dogged Koge deep block.
Renée Slegers made 8 changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Manchester United with only Leah Williamson, Steph Catley, and Stina Blackstenius keeping their place. It meant a fourth different midfield and forward line set-up, with Chloe Kelly and Caitlin Foord flanking Blackstenius and Frida Maanum, Kim Little, and Kyra Cooney-Cross in midfield.
Maanum did well and found Kelly at the top of the box. She shifted past her defender and struck, with her shot just going over the bar.
On 11 minutes, Holmberg’s cross found Foord on the left side of the penalty box, but her shot was blocked by Schultz.
Arsenal thought they had made the breakthrough on 13 minutes. Foord got the better of her defender but her pass for Maanum was cut out. Cooney-Cross recovered the ball with an interception and played a one-two with Foord on the edge of the box. She then crossed into the centre, where Kelly met the cross with the outside of her foot, guiding it into the corner of the net.
However, after a significant delay the referee was called over to the monitor, and the goal was ruled out because Blackstenius, in an offside position, was in the the goalkeeper’s eyesight.
Little and Kelly played a one-two on 26 minutes, with Kelly crossing. Her cross was deflected to Maanum, who turned and shot, but the shot was comfortable for Vingum, who saved.
The visitors started to grow in confidence, with Schultz having a shot that dipped just over the bar via a deflection from Hinds on 32 minutes.
Cooney-Cross, seeing nothing on, drove forward and then shot just wide of goal with Vingum scrambling.
Two minutes were added on.
Koge won a free kick in the final minute of stoppage time in midfield. Gejl took the free kick and Borbe did well to claim in a crowded penalty box.
Alessia Russo replaced Blackstenius at halftime.
Hinds fired over the bar on 48 minutes, before Kelly went down in the box but she initiated contact.
On 58 minutes, Arsenal made a double change with Mariona and Baum replacing Little and Foord.
Baum’s first involvement was to win a free kick. Catley’s delivery went into the six yard box and Vingum, under pressure from Williamson, tipped over the bar.
Hinds did well to get to the byline before cutting back to Russo. Her first touch created space but her shot was blocked.
Arsenal were creating chances now. Hinds turned on the edge of the box and had a shot blocked and then Kelly’s follow up was blocked.
On 72 minutes Selina Cerci replaced Frida Maanum, meaning–and stop me if you’ve heard this before–that Russo dropped to the #10 position.
A Koge counterattack led to a cross from the byline that went through Borbe’s hands but Arsenal were able to clear the ball.
Chloe Kelly was replaced by Olivia Smith on 82 minutes before Arsenal took a corner. From the corner, Holmberg’s cross clipped the bar.
On 85 minutes, an in-swinging corner came to Williamson, who blazed her shot over the bar.
Four minutes were added on.
In the second minute of stoppage time Cerci drove into the box and was tripped by Sakabe, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Mariona stepped up to take the penalty and she slotted it just over Vingum, who got a touch. [1-0](https://streama.in/WmqO2Am0qiqT2lk/watch).
Mariona’s penalty was virtually the final meaningful kick of the game. Arsenal got the job done, but concerns will still linger. Arsenal did have better chances in the second half after a flat end to the first half, but the final action often lacked precision and conviction.