By Daily Sports on November 11, 2021

Steph Catley scored a stunning first goal for Arsenal to help them outclass a stubborn Koge side in the Women's Champions League.

Nikita Parris, who had a first-half penalty saved, pounced to make it 2-0 with Caitlin Foord nodding in a third.

Anna Patten and Jordan Nobbs added late goals to complete the win after Maddie Pokorny pulled one back.

It was ultimately a comfortable win for Jonas Eidevall's Gunners, who controlled 80% possession, but they were made to work hard by a side that had previously failed to score in the competition proper.

Eidevall praised his players for being "brilliant and magnificent" for sticking to the gameplan against a side that defended in numbers.

"I was proud of our performance," he said. "It's not an easy team to break down, you need lots of patience."

While Koge managed to hold out for 63 minutes against European champions Barcelona in a 2-0 defeat in their previous group game - a showing which earned them much praise - the Danish side failed to contain the Gunners for nearly as long.

The hosts managed to limit Arsenal early on, but Cecilie Floe Nielsen's exuberance in defence saw her bring down Parris for a penalty in the 15th minute.

Kaylan Marckese denied the England forward with an excellent diving save to her right, then kept out a flicked Vivianne Miedema header soon after, but there was nothing she could do to reach Catley's brilliantly struck free-kick into the top corner.

It was a long-awaited first Gunners goal for the Australian whose time in English football since arriving last season has been hampered by injury.

The excellent Marckese foiled Leah Williamson and again saved well from Miedema, the WSL all-time top scorer who was among six changes made for the trip to Denmark after Arsenal beat West Ham on Sunday to restore their three-point lead at the top of the domestic table.

Parris punished Koge for their inability to clear the danger to double the lead after the hour and Foord got on the end of a Nobbs shot that rebounded off the woodwork to head home the third.

Pokorny coolly scored with Koge's first and only attempt on goal after a poor backpass from Catley gifted the American possession.

Arsenal, however, went on to secure their second convincing group win thanks to neatly taken finishes from Patten and Nobbs in the final five minutes.

"We can't take for granted how big these wins are each time that we are in a group like this," said Nobbs. "It's an exciting time for us." (BBC)

•PHOTO: ACtion during the Arsenal ladies versus Koge match

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 11, 2021

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