Arsenal secured what could be a pivotal win in Group C of the Women’s Champions League, thrashing Serie A leaders Juventus 4-0 in Turin to stay unbeaten under interim head coach Renee Slegers.
Both sides were locked on three points heading into the game, three behind leaders Bayern Munich, and it was Juventus who had a glorious chance to open the scoring as early as the third minute. However, Daphne van Domselaar, who replaced Manuela Zinsberger in goal in the only change from Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Brighton in the WSL last Friday, got off her line to block Sofia Cantore’s goal-bound effort.
Despite Juve’s bright start, Arsenal quickly took control of the game but found former Gunner Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who played for the club between 2018 and 2020, in superb form.
The Juventus goalkeeper pulled off some stunning saves to deny Katie McCabe, Alessia Russo and Emily Fox, but there was nothing she could do to keep out Frida Maanum’s strike in the 38th minute.
It was a fine team goal from Arsenal. Leah Williamson started the move, feeding the ball into Maanum, who flicked it around the corner for Caitlin Foord before continuing her run into the box. Foord played an inch-perfect return pass through for Maanum, who finished past Peyraud-Magnin and into the bottom corner.
After the break, Arsenal went in search of a second goal. Fox’s looping effort hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced away to safety before Williamson headed over from inside the six-yard box.
The misses never proved to be crucial as substitutes Stina Blackstenius and Mariona Caldentey helped Arsenal cruise over the line.
Caldentey’s pass released Blackstenius, who finished emphatically, before the Spain international got on the scoresheet herself. Lina Hurtig’s cutback was cleared only as far as Caldentey, who fired home from close range to add to Arsenal’s impressive night.
There was still time for Arsenal to add a fourth as Foord hit her sixth of the season to rubber stamp what could be a crucial three points in Arsenal’s bid to reach the knockout stages. Victory gives Arsenal, second in Group C, a three-point cushion over Juventus ahead of next week’s return fixture.
The Gunners have now won four games in their last five since Jonas Eidevall left the club, with things looking much brighter for the north London club under interim boss Slegers.
