Mariona Caldentey stepped up in the dying moments of the match to convert a second‑half stoppage‑time spot‑kick, delivering Arsenal a thrilling 1‑0 triumph over Danish outfit HB Køge as the Gunners kicked off their Women’s Champions League campaign at Meadow Park. Renee Slegers, the Arsenal manager, made a bold overhaul to her starting eleven, introducing eight new faces compared with the side that had drawn 1‑1 against Manchester United in the previous Women's Super League fixture. The changes paid off, albeit after a tense and tightly contested encounter.
In the first half, Chloe Kelly found herself in a promising position and saw the ball cross the line, but a VAR review overturned the goal. The replay showed that Stina Blackstenius had been caught offside in the build‑up, nullifying Kelly’s effort and leaving the scoreline unchanged. Arsenal struggled to create clear‑cut chances for much of the opening period, but a pivotal moment arrived when Selina Cerci was brought down inside the penalty area. Caldentey calmly slotted the ensuing spot‑kick into the bottom corner, sealing all three points for the visitors.
Earlier, Greek referee Eleni Antoniu had been consulted after Kelly’s 12th‑minute strike, but the decision was to disallow the goal following the off‑side ruling against Blackstenius. The match then settled into a pattern of limited forward forays, with Maanum forcing a save in the 25th minute and the ball spending the majority of its time in the defensive half of the pitch.
A chance for Arsenal came when Macy Schultz’s effort, after a deflection, rattled the cross‑bar. Maanum later attempted a cross‑shot that missed her teammate, and Kyra Cooney‑Cross also saw her strike drift wide of the target. The second half began with Blackstenius being substituted for Alessia Russo.
The opening minutes saw a flurry of chances as the game briefly opened up, including a free‑kick taken by Smilla Holmberg that was punched away by goalkeeper Alberte Vingum. Despite the increased tempo, Arsenal still failed to find the back of the net, squandering several set‑piece opportunities while Maanum sent another effort over the bar.
Holmberg displayed sharp defensive instincts, clearing a dangerous cross from Emelia Oskarsdottir, and later saw her own corner clip the cross‑bar by mere inches. The dead‑lock persisted until the third minute of added time, when Yukina Sakabe’s challenge on Cerci resulted in a penalty.
Antoniu pointed to the spot, and Caldentey’s composed finish past Vingum sealed the win. Following the match, Arsenal Women’s head coach Renee Slegers praised her side on the club’s official website: "I’m pleased with the three points and the mentality, resilience that we’ve been building to get late goals that are important for us. Again, a lot of dominance, but we don’t get the goal. But like I said, the mentality and that’s something we’re going to bring into the season, that we can do things this way as well.
And then we continue to work on football. I think there are all new teams starting today compared to last weekend. We have five players coming in, making their impact. I think Selina [Cerci] creates the penalty.
Mariona [Caldentey] scores the penalty, two players coming on. And that’s what we’re about. That’s how we want to do things together as a squad and everyone having their impact.
So from that perspective, I’m really happy and really proud." In a separate fixture, Manchester City’s return trip to the Women’s Champions League saw them claw back from a two‑goal deficit to finish 2‑2 away at Bayern Munich, becoming the first English side to avoid defeat against the German giants on German soil. City’s German international Carlotta Wamser found herself unmarked in the box and calmly tucked away her first goal for the club in the 86th minute, after striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw had earlier missed a penalty that could have levelled the score. The German side had dominated the first half, building a 2‑0 lead within the opening 30 minutes, but City’s resilience shone through after the break.
Bayern’s early advantage came when Giulia Gwinn, after receiving a pass from Linda Dallmann, chipped the ball over goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita to make it 1‑0 in the 11th minute. Dallmann had been allowed to drive forward unchallenged from midfield before linking up with Gwinn, whose composed finish placed the ball into the far corner. Klara Buhl then volleyed straight at Yamashita, while Jovana Damjanović struck over the bar, keeping Bayern in control.
However, a turning point arrived just before halftime when Beth Mead, after a break down the right by Kerstin Casparij, managed to tap the ball home, reducing the deficit to 2‑1. The goal was contested by Bayern supporters, who threw a flare onto the pitch as the attack unfolded, but officials allowed the goal to stand after confirming the ball had crossed the line before the flare landed. In the second half, City’s goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic found herself in a bizarre situation: she seemed ready to let a ball go out of play, then inexplicably stuck out a leg and brought down City winger Aoba Fujino.
The decision sparked debate, but the referee left the play untouched, allowing the game to continue. Shaw, who had been slated for a substitution, missed her penalty and was promptly replaced. Wamser’s goal later in the match ensured that City’s comeback effort was not in vain. Both Klara Buhl and Pernille Harder threatened City’s goal, but neither could find the net.
Lauren Hemp produced a fleeting moment of hope when her deflected cross struck the top of the cross‑bar, but Bayern quickly regained composure. Harder delivered a cross that Casparij attempted to clear, only to mishandle the ball and inadvertently score an own goal, bringing the score to 2‑2. City midfielder Sam Coffey reflected on the performance in a statement to the club’s website: "Beth’s goal changed momentum going into half‑time.
We connected better and were more front‑footed in the second half. So it was huge to take that into half‑time and continue to turn the game around.
We wanted to win the game, so we’re disappointed we didn’t do that, but to come away from a really tough place with a draw is something we should be proud of." She also highlighted the depth of the squad, noting, "It’s one of the best parts of our team how deep we are. We have so many game‑changers and whoever comes into the game is going to have an impact on it. That’s what the best teams in the world need and want, and I think we have that to the nth degree." Both matches showcased the growing competitiveness of women’s football in Europe, with Arsenal demonstrating clinical finishing under pressure and Manchester City proving their resilience against a traditionally dominant Bayern side.
The outcomes underline the importance of tactical flexibility, squad depth, and mental fortitude as the Women’s Champions League progresses.