Arsenal recovered from first-leg defeat to ensure European campaign continues
Arsenal ensured they will be in the group stages of the Women’s Champions League as they eased to an emphatic win over BC Hacken.
Jonas Eidevall’s started the night 1-0 down on aggregate against their Swedish visitors, but ultimately made light work of it with goals from Lia Walti, Mariona Caldentey, Beth Mead and Frida Maanum in a 4-0 win on the night.
Walti got things level on aggregate 23 minutes in with a powerful drive from distance and Arsenal had their noses in front nine minutes later. Mead was denied but Stina Blackstenius got the ball to Caldentey to apply the finish.
Mead bagged the third four minutes into the second half before Maanum made sure of progress in the closing stages, as Arsenal made sure there was no repeat of last-season’s failure to reach the group stages.
“One part of the season starts now. That I’m really happy for,” Eidevall said.
“I think we’ve grown with our performances. We’ve got the results we wanted. We can’t relax, the season starts for us now here. We are in all four competitions we want to be in and need to make the most out of it.
“We built the squad for competing, we need the squad to compete. We’re ready to play these games.”
Manchester City cruised through with a 3-0 win over Paris sealing an 8-0 aggregate win, with Gareth Taylor able to rest many of his senior players in the second half.
His side needed only two minutes to take the lead in windy conditions in east Manchester, with Khadija Shaw charging down Paris goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnodizie before teeing up Chloe Kelly to apply the finish.
Kelly then saw her shot palmed onto the angle of the post and crossbar before Shaw added a second in the 31st minute, with Kelly cutting the ball back from the byline.
Clara Mateo hit the post for Paris late in the half but Shaw finished things off from the penalty spot in the second half after being tripped in the box.
Celtic became the first Scottish side to reach the group stages of the competition with a 2-0 win over Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltova sealing a 3-0 aggregate win.
After a poor first half, Emma Lawton headed in her first Celtic goal from Lucy Ashworth-Clifford’s cross in the 52nd minute before Shannon McGregor headed in a second 10 minutes later.
