Arsenal: Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona; Mead, Russo, Smith; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Van Domselaar (GK), Williams (GK), Liddiard (GK), Codina, Williamson, Maanum, Kelly, Foord, Pelova, Holmberg, Cooney-Cross
Arsenal, the European champions, have become the first ever winners of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, beating the South American champions Corinthians 3-2. Arsenal twice went ahead, but Corinthians equalised in stoppage time, before Caitlin Foord put Arsenal ahead in extra time.
Alessia Russo, Steph Catley, Emily Fox, Kim Little, and Katie McCabe all returned to the starting lineup after starting on the bench for Wednesday’s win against ASFAR, with Russo playing behind Blackstenius.
Arsenal, who kicked off, started with intent, winning a corner in the first minute. From the corner, the ball came to Smith and her volley was blocked. Mariona picked up the rebound, went past two and clipped a cross that was cleared.
On 5 minutes, Russo was played in by Fox’s poked pass. Leticia came out to narrow the angle and Russo’s shot was saved.
Corinthians broke, with Duda Sampaio playing an excellent cross-field ball for Aquino. Her cutback was blocked but first Wubben-Moy and then Fox almost gave the ball away in the Arsenal penalty box. Zanotti then had a shot from range that went over Borbe’s goal.
Arsenal broke through on 15 minutes. A mistake from Leticia Teles led to Blackstenius getting played through in on goal. Her left footed shot was saved, but the rebound came to Smith, whose shot, hit into the ground, beat the defenders on the line. 1-0.
Two minutes later it was almost two. Smith, getting a pass from Mariona, drove to the byline and cutback. There wasn’t an Arsenal player, but the clearance came to Mead, whose left-footed shot was firm but parried away by Leticia.
Corinthians first took advantage of a loose pass to counter, but Zanotti whiffed her shot. But, Corinthians came again and Duda Sampaio shot from the edge of the box, with Borbe getting a hand to it to push it onto the crossbar.
From the corner, Corinthians equalised. The initial header from Zanotti was straight at Borbe, but although she got a touch, the ball went over the line, with Aquino kneeing the ball over to make sure. 1-1.
Russo played a dangerous cutback but Corinthians cleared and then Mariona shot well over the bar as Arsenal looked to regain the lead.
Blacktenius and Mead combined with the latter playing into Russo. She laid the ball off for Blackstenius, whose shot was blocked behind for a corner.
From a short corner, Mead’s cross from the right was flicked by Russo, with Leticia parrying and grabbing the ball at the second attempt.
Blackstenius should’ve made it 2-1 on 40 minutes. Little drove into the box and cutback to Blackstenius, who slipped as she turned, and hit her shot well wide of goal.
On 44 minutes Fox’s cross went across goal. Blackstenius couldn’t reach it, and Smith, having to flick her shot, mishit it.
A minute later, Arsenal won possession back. Mariona played into Russo. She couldn’t work space for a shot but passed to Fox in the D, who moved the ball onto Mead. She cut in onto her left but shot straight at the keeper.
Arsenal made a change at half time, wiuth Frida Maanum replacing Blackstenius, with Russo moving up front. Corinthians brought Erika on for Gi Fernandes, who had been booked.
Mead’s scooped ball found Maanum in the right of the box, and she flicked the ball on for Russo, whose shot was straight at Leticia.
On 57 minutes Russo created a yard of space on the left and cutback for Maanum but the cutback was put out from a corner.
From the corner, Leticia punched but Arsenal kept the ball alive. First McCabe crossed into the middle. Smith got onto the clearance, and appeared to be fouled. The referee didn’t call for a foul and Arsenal kept playing. Maanum played wide to Fox, and she crossed into the centre. Wubben-Moy, up for the corner, powered her header back across and into the bottom corner. 2-1.
Arsenal made a further two changes on 64 minutes. Smila Holmberg replaced Emily Fox, and Caitlin Foord replaced Olivia Smith.
On 70 minutes Jhonson, on as a substitute, was played behind Wubben-Moy by Duda Sampaio. She advanced on goal but Borbe, out to close the angle, saved, with Catley clearing.
The Jhonson chance spooked Arsenal, with a loose period of possession after. However, the game should’ve been wrapped up on 74 minutes. Foord found Little in the box, and her cutback came to Mead in the middle, whose shot was saved. The rebound came to Foord, and her shot was deflected onto the woodwork, and Russo’s header went over.
On 75 minutes, Chloe Kelly replaced Mead.
Maanum had a shot on 81 minutes, but it was comfortable for Leticia.
Russo lost possession and Ivana Fuso countered. She was dragged back by Little but the ball came to Robledo, on as a substitute, on the right. She shot from distance, with Borbe gathering easily.
Arsenal gave the ball away in midfield again, but Little stopped Jhonson’s run, and Mariona saw it out for a throw.
On 89 minutes, Russo was found by an excellent through ball from Little. Russo, going away from goal, shot low, and on a wet surface, the ball skidded away from Leticia, but Foord couldn’t get to the follow up.
Corinthians won a free kick in midfield. The ball went into the box, Arsenal made first contact but it came out to a Corinthians player, with Wubben-Moy blocking a shot twice and Mariona eventually clearing.
4 minutes were added on.
Wubben-Moy headed a ball into the box and then blocked another shot. Robledo wanted a penalty as she went over as McCabe kicked through her and the ball. The referee went to the screen, and gave the penalty.
Victoria took the penalty, and sent Borbe the wrong way and placed her penalty down the middle. 2-2.
Holmberg’s cross was cut out but the rebound came to Mariona, whose shot was blocked. Maanum then shot from the edge of the box but it was a comfortable save for Leticia.
Into extra time, and Fuso’s cross found Victoria, whose header hit the bar via Borbe’s finger tip.
Laia Codina replaced Kim Little in the 93rd minute, before the corner. From the corner, Arsenal made first contact but the ball came out to Fuso, who fired over the bar.
Caitlin Foord put Arsenal ahead in the 104th minute. From a Corinthians free kick, Maanum won the loose ball in midfield off of Sampaio and carried forward. The played wide to Foord on the left, and her left footed shot caught Leticia out at the near post. 3-2.
Victoria Pelova came on at half time in extra time, replacing Mariona Caldentey, who had been booked. Pelova, then, went into central midfield with Codina.
A Kelly free kick was headed wide of goal by Codina.
Pelova slipped, giving Corinthians a chance. Victoria shot from the edge of the box, but shot wide of Borbe’s goal.
Foord, played in behind by Maanum in the 112th minute, drove into the box and shot with her left again, but this time Leticia parried.
In the 117th minute, Robledo’s long range effort sailed wide of Borbe’s far post.
Corinthians won a free kick in their own half in the 120th minute. The ball went long and McCabe cleared, as two minutes were added on.
Corinthians came forward again. Wubben-Moy cleared, the ball came in again and Pelova cleared.
Another ball came forward, and Borbe came out to gather, and then collided with Wubben-Moy, who was pushed over by Jhonson. Borbe needed the stretcher, and with Arsenal out of substitutes, Daphne van Domselaar came on as a concussion substitute.
After a long break of over 8 minutes, Van Domselaar came on. In the twelfth minute of stoppage time, the game restarted with a free kick. Corinthians had a throw in, as the game went into a thirteenth minute, and then finally the whistle blew, with Arsenal becoming world champions.