Arsenal Enjoy Their Lisbon Return As Mead And Russo See Off Benfica In Wcl

Arsenal secured their first triumph of nan caller Champions League campaign, Beth Mead sending nan shot crawling complete nan statement against Benfica earlier Alessia Russo killed disconnected nan crippled pinch their 2nd successful Portugal.

It wasn’t beautiful successful nan Estádio da Luz, but it was enough, just, pinch Arsenal’s deficiency of cutting separator remaining a awesome concern.

The return to nan metropolis of their heroic underdog triumph complete Barcelona successful nan Champions League last successful May, this clip successful Benfica’s location alternatively of Sporting CP’s José Alvalade Stadium, was shrouded successful acold little optimism this clip round.

Then, Arsenal fans had travelled pinch hopes tempered, fixed nan standard of nan task, but spirits high, aft a stellar tally to their 2nd ever final. This time, nan broadside that arrived successful Lisbon was a much beleaguered 1 pursuing a disappointing commencement to a play afloat of promise.

The Gunners person dropped 7 points successful their opening six WSL games and went 4 games without a triumph earlier Sunday’s little than convincing 1-0 triumph complete Brighton halted that run.

The characteristic of nan broadside that mislaid their opening Champions League lucifer past play earlier going connected to apical nan group and that came from down successful nan quarter-final and semi last to group up that historical triumph seems glaringly absent astatine present.

Renée Slegers’ broadside grounded to capitalise connected their power against Aston Villa earlier conceding a precocious equaliser, came from 2 goals down to level nan crippled against Manchester City but couldn’t fend disconnected Iman Beney’s slayer rustle and scored first against Lyon successful this season’s European opener but struggled aft 2 goals from Melchie Dumornay shifted nan fixture successful favour of nan eight-time champions.

There were changes to nan squad which earned nan much-needed triumph complete Brighton, pinch Frida Maanum, Katie McCabe and Caitlin Foord each retired successful favour of Taylor Hinds, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Mead, and a groin problem kept retired 19-year-old centre-back Katie Reid, who was replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy.

There are concerns complete goalkeepers too, pinch Arsenal confirming Manuela Zinsberger’s absence from nan squad was owed to an injury, while chap keeper Anneke Borbe was omitted owed to illness, truthful 17-year-old Amy Liddiard was connected nan chair arsenic backmost up to Daphne van Domselaar.

In nan first half nan communicative was a acquainted one, nan visiting squad dominated possession, accruing almost 70%, but grounded to make that count, a cutting separator successful nan last 3rd mysteriously missing pinch Benfica matching them pinch 5 shots and bettering them 2 connected target to Arsenal’s none.

It would return a spot of chaos successful Benfica’s container to springiness Arsenal nan lead aft nan break, Mariona Caldentey’s transverse towards Mead successful nan mediate pinballed disconnected of Beatriz Cameirão earlier some Diana Gomes and Mead sewage touches successful pinch nan second doing capable to nonstop it rolling slow complete nan line.

That slow rotation was a reflection of nan 2nd half, nan play lacked urgency and directness. The exit of some Emily Fox and Steph Catley pinch different wounded concerns only added to Arsenal’s increasing wounded woes.

The longer nan crippled wore connected pinch nan teams separated by conscionable 1 extremity nan livelier nan location squad looked, but Arsenal would get a 2nd to spot retired nan last minutes nether little pressure, Russo turning successful from Chloe Kelly’s debased free-kick.