Lia Wälti’s thunderous effort from range gave Arsenal a fighting chance in the second leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier at home to BK Häcken, having suffered a 1-0 defeat in Sweden a week ago.
The Swiss midfielder – one of three changes to Jonas Eidevall’s side from their draw with Manchester City on Sunday – opened the scoring at Meadow Park in the 23rd minute, before Mariona Caldentey netted her first goal since signing for the club to put them in control at the break.
An outrageous volleyed effort from Beth Mead in the opening minutes of the second half offered further security for the home side, with Frida Maanum arriving off the bench to add a late fourth for the Gunners. They’ll now await the results of Friday’s group stage draw, in which they cannot be drawn against Manchester City or Chelsea.
Embed from Getty ImagesAs it happened
Knowing that only a clear two-goal victory at Meadow Park would see them progress to the group stages of the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League, Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal wasted no time in dashing forwards in search of a goal that would restore aggregate parity.
An early effort for Mariona Caldentey came to nothing as the Catalan forward picked up the scraps from Emily Fox’s cross from the right, though it would be Beth Mead to trouble Jennifer Falk first with a strike from close range.
The Häcken shot-stopper would soon be called upon to claim Beth Mead’s delivery from the right, and it wasn’t long before Clarissa Larisey looked to strengthen the visitors’ advantage as she surged through on goal, only to be denied by a rash challenge from Lotte Wubben-Moy.
But Arsenal earned their reward for a dominant opening period in the 23rd minute, as a thunderstrike from Lia Wälti caught Falk off-guard and allowed the Gunners to level the aggregate scoreline. The Swiss international, recalled into the starting lineup at Kyra Cooney-Cross’ expense, rattled the crossbar from distance before the ball trickled over the goal line.
There was momentary concern from the home fans as a reckless tackle on Mead left the England international clutching her ankle and requiring attention from the club’s medical team. She was, thankfully, fine to continue and played a crucial role as the Gunners manufactured an excellent chance to seize the aggregate led, though her free-kick from deep was nodded wide by Stina Blackstenius.
While that chance was squandered by the Swedish forward, the North Bank soon burst into scenes of sheer euphoria as Caldentey netted her first goal since arriving in North London this summer. Picking up the pieces from a scrappy attack, the ex-Barcelona forward’s shot took a crucial deflection off Emma Östlund before evading Falk to hand Arsenal control of the two-legged tie.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut BK Häcken weren’t about to take defeat lying down, with Tabitha Tindell looking to find the back of the net once more after scoring the only goal in her side’s first-leg victory a week ago. The forward forced Manuela Zinsberger into action early on in the second half, though the Austrian goalkeeper was not flustered in the slightest by her efforts.
Mead threw her name in the hat for the best goal scored in the Women’s Champions League so far this season less than five minutes into the second half action at Meadow Park, firing an outrageous volleyed attempt past Falk from close range after a flurry of chances stemming from a Katie McCabe cross.
Alessia Russo looked to get in on the goalscoring action too as she combined well with Caldentey on the left flank, but the Spaniard’s ball was put behind for a corner as she looked to play her colleague through on goal. Chances certainly weren’t in short supply, with Blackstenius slotting home moments later before the offside flag abruptly ended her celebrations.
Yet as the clock ticked into the final fifteen minutes, two substitutes combined expertly to extend Arsenal’s lead to a staggering four goals on the night: a far cry from that slender defeat in Göteborg a week ago. Caitlin Foord – played in by an exceptional diagonal ball – picked out Frida Maanum, with the Norwegian slotting home from close range for her second goal of the season.
The result comfortably sends Arsenal into the group stages of the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League, after the Gunners failed to reach the competition proper last term. They’ll now await the results of Friday’s draw, in which they’ll avoid both Chelsea and Manchester City.
The lineups
ARS: Zinsberger; McCabe, Codina, Wubben-Moy, Fox; Caldentey, Wälti, Little, Mead; Russo, Blackstenius
HÄC: Falk; Nelhage, Östlund, Rybrink, Wijk; Fossdalsá, Curmark; Kitagawa, Anvegård, Tindell; Larisey
