Match report and talking points as the Gunners dazzle in the Champions League
Arsenal fired home a late winner to secure a 3-2 win over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The Gunners were keen to shake off the ghosts of the past after falling to a 5-2 defeat in the reverse fixture in October. A win under the lights at Meadow Park would ensure either side could clinch top spot in their group, with the Renee Slegers just needing a draw.
Fans at Meadow Park were treated to a European spectacle as both sides clashed under the lights in a Champions League classic. An own goal lifted Arsenal’s spirits early on, but a brace from Magdalena Eriksson brought Bayern Munich back into the league as the second half got under way.
Both teams now eagerly await the quarter-final draw that will decide who they will face in the Champions League. The draw will take place on February 7, and the quarter-finals will be held on March 18/19 and 26/27.
How the game developed
It wouldn’t be long before the Gunners drew blood as a well-timed corner from Kyra Cooney-Cross was headed home by Caitlin Foord from close range. A rendition of ABBA’s ‘Voulez-Vous’ erupted at Meadow Park as Gunners fans chanted Foord’s name in celebration.
Having scored nine goals in ten games, Alessia Russo tested her shooting form by taking on two Bayern defenders on the edge of the box. Able to maneuver to clear the shot, the shot flew well over the crossbar.
With their place at the top of their group now under threat, Bayern were hungry for a draw. Steph Catley’s desperate header deflected Klara Bühl’s goal away from danger, but the clearance only fell to Giulia Gwinn, who fired her shot into the stands.
Bühl tried the angles as he went past Emily Fox on the left, but Daphne van Domselaar kept out her shot, which deflected the ball into the corner. The corner wreaked havoc for the Gunners but it was Catley who was able to clear the danger as the home crowd breathed a sigh of relief.
The German giants mounted a comeback in the 38th minute when Georgia Stanway rose above Russo at the back post from Gwinn’s corner before Magdalena Erikkson fired home the cut-back to level the scores.
The second half got off to a frantic start, but it was Arsenal who had the golden opportunity to go ahead. Blackstenius found his way wide and beat Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic, but she deflected the chance to put her chance away.
The German giants were far more clinical at the other end as a brilliant Gwinn delivery took a touch from Eriksson to beat Daphne van Domselaar to give Bayern the lead.
Meadow Park enjoyed a game of end-to-end football as another set piece set the Gunners up for glory. McCabe’s superb delivery found Russo at the back post, and the England striker slotted home the equalizer from range.
If the game wasn’t strong enough, it would reach new heights in the 85th minute as Arsenal were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the box. Cool, calm, collected, Caldentey. The Spanish master fired her strike from the spot to win the game for the Gunners in remarkable fashion.
Check out the player ratings for Arsenal vs Bayern Munich here.
If there’s one thing we learned from the start of Arsenal’s 2024/25 season under Jonas Eidevall, it’s that they were the first to back down from a fight. The Gunners were lackluster, bowing out at the first sign of adversity. But recently, it couldn’t be further from the case.
Renee Slegers has made these football players fall in love again, and long gone are the days when the Gunners would hang their heads after conceding 2-1. Helped by the roar of the Meadow Park faithful, Arsenal showed they have regained their fighting spirit in recent weeks.
Russo’s leveler to make it 2-2 was the closest Arsenal fans have seen since their spirited effort in the injury-riddled 2022/23 campaign and the transformation in mindset since Slegers took over his charge is a breath of fresh air.
“Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away. This year, to save myself from tears, I’ll give it to Renee Slegers,” North Bank sang in numbers. Arsenal fans are convinced, so everyone else should be too?
Slegers has now gone 11 games unbeaten in a row as caretaker boss, and is back at Arsenal playing his exciting brand of football.
The Dutch manager has unlocked potential, with Russo scoring 10 goals in 11 games after starting the 2024/25 campaign without a goal in eight games. Catley and Williamson have established themselves as a central pair and executed their game plans brilliantly, with the Gunners looking composed in all areas of the pitch.
Now beating Bayern Munich, what more can those at the back look for a manager?
It looks like we’ve seen the work that Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius can do alongside each other to boost this Arsenal team. Such moments have often come in the latter stages of Women’s Super League (WSL) matches recently, with Blackstenius seeing Russo move back into a midfield role. This has often worked to benefit Arsenal’s attack, but tonight it did nothing but hinder it.
The pair started alongside each other last week against Valerenga, with Russo deployed on the wing. This was an outstanding move from Slegers as Russo’s ability to invest combined with Blackstenius’ strength in attack made for a thrilling display. Against Bayern Munich though, the two seemed lost in translation.
Having scored nine goals in ten games, perhaps the decision to start Russo in midfield meant that he was unable to make an immediate impact on the game. The English forward looked a little disjointed and couldn’t get in line in time with Blackstenius’s.
Arsenal’s second goal did enough to show Russo’s pure striker instinct, smashing home a volley from distance after a well-timed run to the back post. The 25-year-old is in firing form, and her name should be the first name on the team sheet at number nine.
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