Post-Match Report

Match report: Arsenal Women 3-1 PSV

Iwabuchi

PSV -

Sapsan Arena, Moscow
UEFA Women's Champions League
UEFA Women's Champions League
  Arsenal Women
   crest
Arsenal Women
3 1
  PSV
   crest
PSV
As the higher-seeded team, we are shown as the ‘home’ club despite the fixture being played at another venue

WHAT HAPPENED 

We booked our place in Round Two of the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Saturday night as we defeated PSV 3-1 at Sapsan Arena. 

Jonas Eidevall opted for two changes from the side that cruised past FC Okzheptes three days earlier, with Steph Catley and Jen Beattie returning to the starting XI. 

Full of confidence, we dominated possession in the opening exchanges and it wasn’t long before we opened the scoring with a beautiful team goal. 

Following some tidy build-up play, Kim Little orchestrated a passing move, before Noelle Maritz and Beth Mead combined wonderfully down the right flank, with the latter storming into the area and cutting the ball back for Vivianne Miedema. 

When many strikers would have pulled the trigger first time, our No 11 showed great composure to lure her marker into a challenge with a perfectly-disguised touch - and she duly finished past former teammate Sari Van Veenendaal with a brushed finish. 

Our second goal of the night proved to be just as special. With a quickly-taken short corner, Mana Iwabuchi pulled away from two PSV defenders with a delicate touch, before setting herself for the shot and firing a stunning effort into the top corner from the left side of the penalty area. 

It was a dominant first-half performance, but PSV went on to reduce the deficit shortly after the restart against the run of play. With a single searching pass through the middle of our defence, Esmee Brugts pulled away from Simone Boye and with an instinctive lunge, managed to poke the ball past Manuela Zinsberger. 

Two golden chances followed with Mead and Miedema being denied in quick succession, before we eventually - and deservedly - restored our two-goal deficit with 15 minutes remaining. 

Following another well-worked attacking move, Miedema found space on the left side of PSV’s defence and saw her low drive parried away, but Iwabuchi was on hand to convert the rebound for her second of the evening. 

WHAT IT MEANS 

We’re through to Round Two of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, involving a home and away leg, with the possibility of facing Lyon, Wolfsburg, Rosengaard or Slavia Prague.

WHAT’S NEXT 

The draw will take place at 12pm (UK time) on Sunday. 

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