Benfica 0 – 2 Arsenal
Simply when it seemed like they may be affected by a Champions League hangover, Arsenal edged previous a extremely organised Benfica facet to register the primary win of their title defence.
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Taking part in in a stadium three kilometres away from the place they surprised Barcelona to style Champions League glory final Might, the Londoners laboured to a win in opposition to the Portuguese champions, per week after they misplaced their opening European fixture to Lyon.
A scrappy aim from Beth Mead edged the guests forward, earlier than Alessia Russo transformed a sweetly struck Chloe Kelly free-kick within the dying minutes – a transfer that was straight off the coaching floor – so as to add some gloss on what was in any other case a low-energy show.
“Finally, now we have to up our sport once more. We don’t need to play like that and we’ve bought to step as much as the problem and be higher than we had been final yr,” Mead mentioned.
Mead made positive the Londoners grabbed their first Champions League win of the marketing campaign – Getty Photos/Alex Burstow
In opposition to a compact Benfica outfit who had been unbeaten of their previous three house video games within the Champions League group stage earlier than this assembly, the guests spent a lot of the night time ruing their shot-making in entrance of aim, and at occasions it seemed as if their tag as defending Champions League winners was weighing heavy. For all their possession, they confirmed no leading edge and lacked their typical fluidity.
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For Renee Slegers, Arsenal’s younger supervisor who so brilliantly masterminded her facet’s Lisbon triumph 5 months in the past, the reduction might be palpable, particularly contemplating her facet face Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid of their subsequent two fixtures.
Benfica battled bravely earlier than Mead lunged deep contained in the penalty space to stab in a messy aim on 57 minutes, earlier than they completed with a flourish when Kelly’s intuitively positioned Russo with an astute set-piece transfer to cement the win.
Man Utd win once more
Elsewhere, a gutsy Manchester United facet continued their encouraging begin to their maiden European marketing campaign with a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in an eventful match which noticed either side end with 10 gamers.
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What momentum the guests constructed after Fridolina Rolfo’s thunderous close-range volley shortly evaporated when Dominique Janssen was controversially despatched off for a sliding problem on Gio Garbelini earlier than the break.
Janssen was initially proven a yellow card for the incident, however referee Eleni Antoniou upgraded it to a purple after VAR intervened and the severity of Garbelini’s damage grew to become obvious.
Atletico seized upon the participant benefit however couldn’t break United’s spirited resistance and the hosts’ frustration informed when Alexia Fernandez picked up a second yellow for a problem on Leah Galton and was given her personal marching orders, as Marc Skinner’s facet held on.
Match particulars
Benfica (4-3-3) Pauels 6; Catarina Amado 5, Diana Gomes 6, Uchiebe 6, Bratberg Lund (Martin-Prieto 70), 6; Carolnia Tristao 5 (Davidson 61), Beatriz Cameirao 5, Gasper 6; Lucia Alves 7, Diana Silva 5 (Lara Martins 81), Moller (Boeckmann 80) 5.Subs not used: Rute Costa, Prat, Joana Silva, Leticia Almeida, Carole Costa, Engesvik, Pauleta, Neide Guedes.Booked: Beatriz Cameirao, Lucia Alves.Arsenal (4-3-3) Van Domselaar 7; Fox 6 (McCabe 85), Wubben-Moy 6, Catley 6 (Codina 84), Hinds 6; Little 7, Caldentey 7, Cooney-Cross 6 (Blackstenius 60); Smith 6 (Foord 70), Russo 7, Mead 7 (Kelly 60).Subs not used: Liddiard, Maanum, Pelova, Nighswonger, Harwood.Booked: Smith, Caldentey.Objectives: Mead, Russo.Referee: Miriama BockovaAttendence: 7,218.