GUNNERS FLEX MUSCLES IN BELGIAN STROLL
Arsenal cruised to victory at OH Leuven on Wednesday to finish the Women’s Champions League group stage in fifth position.
The Gunners have had mixed results in the Champions League, losing to Lyon at home and Bayern Munich away, but they were impressive in securing their fourth victory from six games tonight and finish the group stage four points off top spot in fifth place, meaning they’ll face a play-off in the new year.
OH Leuven will also be in the knockout stages in the twelfth and final qualifying spot.
Dominating possession from the first whistle, the Gunners had the game virtually won by the break and the lead could have been much bigger were it not for a strong performance from home goalkeeper Lowiese Seynhaeve.
Canadian flanker Olivia Smith scored a fine opener, exchanging passes with Mariona Caldentey on the wing and then racing into the box to shoot firmly towards the near corner and then following up to slam home after Seynhaeve’s save. Caldentey limping off in the closing stages is the only potential downside from the night for Arsenal.
The game was effectively over before the half-hour mark when Alessia Russo found Beth Mead in space on the right flank and she guided an unstoppable effort into the far corner, with Linde Veefkind’s own goal from substitute Caitlin Foord’s cross adding deserved gloss in the second half.
