Giant step by the champion towards the quarterfinals of the Champions League. And so, as if it were a fabulous being of enormous dimensions, Arsenal left Den Dreef Stadion after overwhelming OH Leuven, the sweet expert of this playoff of the highest European competition, with a double from Maanum and goals from Olivia Smith and Russo.
There was no surprise from the Belgian team on the pitch, but there was in Renée Slegers’ eleven, which surrounded the untouchable Mariona with news: Codina’s first start in the Champions League, Kelly, Williamson and Pelovafrom the beginning… Also Williamson, who was very forceful in the duels from the first moment in which OH Leuven began to launch counterattacks.
Foord and Kelly roamed freely on the wings, exchanging positions from time to time. It was the first one that finished off a Mariona cross in the 18th minute, which was a warning for the Belgians. English dominance seemed to occur even in the stands, where a crowd gunner He went crazy with Maanum’s first goal (22′) in the bottom in which they were located. Foord put it with her left foot and the Norwegian finished with her head. The rooms, closer.
Bosteels and Reynders tried to respond with their speed on the wings, but Williamson and Codina seemed confident. In fact, the Englishwoman acted impeccably in covering the Catalan defense when Hermans went to the kitchen in the 35th minute. However, immediately afterwards, Arsenal found the complicity of a passive Belgian defense to score the second: Maanum opened the wing for Kelly to break past her pair, put the ball in the heart of the area and Olivia Smith sent it into the net with a shot with the first touch. Choral play in the face of questionable resistance. The same thing happened in the London team’s third goal. Although first, Pelova warned.
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The Dutchwoman took a tremendous shot from her sleeve that Seynhaeve cleared for a corner with a save in the 47th minute. The time in the locker room had not reduced the champion’s fierceness. Of that giant who, on top of that, it felt like such in individual duels: a through ball was won by Foord in the body with Janssen and the Australian put him behind so that, again, Maanum, found a goal. 70% possession, 19 shots and a fourth goal signed by the surprisingly substitute Alessia Russo, after Holmberg’s pass. The champion swept and is already looking forward to those quarterfinals in which they would play against their London neighbor, Chelsea.
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Oud Heverlee Leuven
-
29
Lowiese Seynhaeve
-
6
Zenia Mertens
-
2
Saar Janssen
-
3
Kim Everaerts
(88′)
-
30
Julie Biesmans
-
7
Alixe Bosteels
-
19
Jeslynn Kuijpers
(58′)
-
21
Flo Hermans
(58′)
-
8
Sarah Pusztai
-
10
Aurélie Reynders
(58′)
-
9
Jada Conijnenberg
(77′)
- Dock
-
55
Mei Wei Rispens
-
26
Isa Covers
(58′)
-
14
Axelle Van Besauw
-
4
Virág Nagy
(58′)
-
16
Kadhiya De Ceuster
(58′)
-
1
Faye Lammertijn
-
42
Amélie Van Holderbeke
-
22
In Neyrinck
(77′)
-
20
Manon Heremans
(88′)
-
11
Ioanna Papatheodorou
Arsenal Women
-
14
Daphne van Domselaar
-
2
Emily Fox
(45′)
-
11
Katie McCabe
-
6
Leah Williamson
(60′)
-
5
Laia Codina
-
18
Chloe Kelly
(60′)
-
8
Mariona Caldentey
(72′)
-
19
Caitlin Foord
-
12
Frida Maanum
x2 -
21
Victoria Pelova
-
15
Olivia Smith
(81′)
- Dock
-
3
Lotte Wubben-Moy
(60′)
-
10
Kim Little
(81′)
-
40
Naomi Williams
-
7
Steph Catley
-
23
Alessia Russo
(60′)
-
13
Barbora Votíková
-
32
Kyra Cooney-Cross
(72′)
-
31
Smilla Holmberg
(45′)
Changes
Smilla Holmberg (45′, Emily Fox), Virág Nagy (58′, Jeslynn Kuijpers), Kadhiya De Ceuster (58′, Flo Hermans), Isa Covers (58′, Aurélie Reynders), Alessia Russo (60′, Chloe Kelly), Lotte Wubben-Moy (60′, Leah Williamson), Kyra Cooney-Cross (72′, Mariona Caldentey), In Neyrinck (77′, Jada Conijnenberg), Kim Little (81′, Olivia Smith), Manon Heremans (88′, Kim Everaerts)
Goals
0-1, 21′: Frida Maanum0-2, 36′: Olivia Smith0-3, 51′: Frida Maanum0-4, 71′: Alessia Russo
Cards
Referee: Iuliana Elena Demetrescu
VAR referee: Sebastian Coltescu, Adrian Sorin Costreie
Emily Fox (19′, Yellow), Zenia Mertens (42′, Yellow), Olivia Smith (79′, Yellow)
