Mariona Caldentey stepped up in the dying moments of the match, converting a second‑half stoppage‑time penalty to give Arsenal a thrilling 1‑0 triumph over Danish outfit HB Køge, marking a dramatic start to their Champions League campaign at Meadow Park. Renee Slegers, the Gunners' manager, made a bold overhaul to her XI, introducing eight changes from the side that had drawn 1‑1 with Manchester United in the previous Women's Super League fixture. The fresh faces were tasked with turning the tide after a sluggish first half.
In the opening period, Chloe Kelly found the back of the net, but the goal was promptly ruled out after a VAR review. The replay showed that Stina Blackstenius had been caught offside in the build‑up, nullifying the England forward's effort and leaving the scoreline unchanged.
Arsenal struggled to create clear chances for much of the game, but a pivotal moment arrived when Selina Cerci was brought down inside the box. The resulting penalty was calmly dispatched by Caldentey, who placed the ball in the bottom corner, sealing all three points for the visitors. The match featured an early contentious decision when Greek referee Eleni Antoniu consulted the monitor after Kelly's early strike in the 12th minute.
The referee ultimately dismissed the claim, confirming Blackstenius' off‑side position as the reason for the disallowed goal. In the 25th minute, Maanum forced a save, and the ball seldom left the defensive half of the pitch. A chance from Macy Schultz, whose shot deflected off a defender, rattled the crossbar, providing a brief glimpse of danger for the home side.
Maanum attempted a cross‑shot that failed to connect with a teammate, while Kyra Cooney‑Cross also sent a wayward effort wide of the target. After the interval, Blackstenius was substituted for Alessia Russo, and Arsenal generated a flurry of opportunities in what began as a more open second half. Smilla Holmberg earned a free‑kick that was punched away by goalkeeper Alberte Vingum.
Despite the flurry of chances, Arsenal could not find the net, squandering several set‑piece opportunities and watching Maanum fire a shot over the bar. Holmberg made a crucial clearance after Emelia Oskarsdottir's cross fell loose, and later her corner struck the crossbar by a matter of inches. The decisive moment came in the third minute of added time. Yukina Sakabe's challenge on Cerci resulted in a foul, and Antoniu pointed to the spot.
Caldentey stepped up and slotted the penalty past Vingum, sealing the win for Arsenal. Following the match, Arsenal Women manager 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's 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." Meanwhile, Manchester City’s return trip to the Women’s Champions League saw them claw back from a 2‑0 deficit to earn a 2‑2 draw against Bayern Munich, becoming the first English side to avoid defeat to the German giants on German soil. City’s German international Carlotta Wamser found herself unmarked inside the box and calmly finished in the 86th minute, netting her first goal for the club after Khadija "Bunny" Shaw had missed a penalty earlier in the match that could have levelled the score. The second half showcased City’s fighting spirit. The first half had been dominated by Bayern, who surged ahead with two goals within the opening 30 minutes.
Giulia Gwinn’s chipped pass from Linda Dallmann’s unchallenged drive from midfield set up a perfect opportunity, and Gwinn lifted the ball over goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita into the far corner for the opening goal in the 11th minute. Bayern extended their lead when Klara Buhl volleyed straight at Yamashita, and Jovana Damjanović threatened again, but City remained in the game. Lauren Hemp produced a spectacular cross that clipped the top of the crossbar, offering a brief respite for the visitors. Just before the break, a moment of misfortune for Bayern occurred when a cross from Harder was mishandled by defender Kerstin Casparij, who inadvertently diverted the ball into her own net, reducing the deficit to 2‑1 at halftime.
City’s midfield dynamo Sam Coffey reflected on the turnaround in a post‑match interview: "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." The match also featured a controversial incident when a flare was thrown onto the pitch as Bayern built an attack.
Despite the disruption, the referee allowed play to continue, and Casparij’s cross that led to the own‑goal stood. Later, Bayern’s goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic found herself in a puzzling situation, appearing indecisive as she raced to close down Aoba Fujino.
She initially seemed willing to let the ball go out of play, then abruptly stuck out a leg, bringing down the City winger and prompting a penalty that was ultimately missed by Shaw. City’s depth shone through as they continued to press, with both Klara Buhl and Pernille Harder coming close to equalising before the final whistle. Their persistence paid off when Wamser’s late strike secured the draw, underscoring the squad’s ability to produce game‑changing moments from the bench. City midfielder Sam Coffey also highlighted the strength of the squad: "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 demonstrated the growing competitiveness of women’s football in Europe, with Arsenal’s late penalty win and City’s resilient comeback illustrating the fine margins that can decide outcomes in the Champions League.