Thank you so much for joining me this evening. Juventus put on a great defensive show but Arsenal eventually battered down the wall with Lina Hurtig’s late goal. Arsenal are through the quarter-finals, while Juventus crash out. For all the action have a read of the report below. We will be back with live women’s football action on Sunday with the WSL match between Chelsea and Manchester United and will bring you all the action from the next WCL round in 11 December. See you soon.
Manchester City also went through earlier today, have a read of the report:
Bayern Munich’s draw earlier today was enough to see them through to the quarters so in this group it will be the German team and Arsenal who go through.
A fun fact for you, 119 goals have been scored in the Women’s Champions League so far this season with two rounds of the group stage left to go.
Lina Hurtig really was the attacking difference Arsenal needed this evening. The team lacked the decisive edge and that is what the Swedish international provided. She had three clear chances and converted the fourth to send the Gunners through.
In the other 8pm GMT kick-off Barcelona have beaten St Polten 4-1 with two goals from Kika Nazareth.
The win also means interim Arsenal boss Renee Slegers is still unbeaten since she took over from Jonas Eidevall.
All three English clubs are through to the quarter-finals with two group games to go.
Full time: Arsenal 1-0 Juventus
Arsenal are through to the Champions League quarter-finals with two games to spare and send Juventus out of the competition. A late winner from Lina Hurtig is the difference at the Emirates.
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90 + 3 min: Mead was so close to doubling Arsenal’s lead but Peyraud-Magnin does really well to prevent her.
90 + 2 min: How frustrated must Juventus feel? All of that good defensive work only to concede in the final minute of normal time. Arsenal just kept plugging away and they found their way through eventually.
90 + 1 min: There will be four minutes added.
Arsenal peel away and it’s crossed well to Blackstenius, she can’t get it away so passes to Hurtig who hits home. If Juventus can’t find a late equaliser they are going out.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Juventus (Hurtig, 90)
Wow.
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89 min: Arsenal make a change with Little off for Kafaji. Walti looks okay to continue, great to see.
88 min: Juventus come forward now and Walti is absolutely clattered by Bonansea and the referee reacts quickly to make sure she is okay. She hasn’t moved since and the medical staff are with her.
86 min: Arsenal have really come to life since Hurtig’s introduction, Williamson crosses in again but Hurtig’s header is wide. Remember if Arsenal win their are through to the quarters and would knock Juventus out.
84 min: How, how, how have Arsenal not scored? How? A peach of a cross from Little and it beats Peyraud-Magnin but Hurtig’s header is over the bar.
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83 min: Oh wow that was close and Hurtig almost immediately scored. Williamson put in a great ball and Hurtig made contact but it was just wide.
81 min: Arsenal make another change with Russo off for Hurtig, the Sweden international will know Juventus well as she used to play for the club.
80 min: Into the last 10 minutes, will we get a winner here? It doesn’t feel like we will, both teams just not having that last killer pass to put this one to bed.
78 min: The corner was taken short from Boattin but the resulting cross is out by an Arsenal player so Juventus have another set piece. It’s sent in but cleared well, Schatzer crosses it back in but Van Domselaar catches.
76 min: That was not a confident save from Van Domselaar but it was effective, Caruso got a shot away and she palms it wide. Juventus have a corner.
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75 min: Before the free kick Vangsgaard is off for Girelli and Beccari is on for Cantore. Mead takes the free kick but the delivery is way too deep and it’s out for a goal kick.
74 min: Arsenal are being pushed backwards when they try and forge a path forwards, Juventus’ defence may be faltering at times as we get later into this game but they remain quite drilled. Just as I type that Caruso gives away a free kick, a good position for Arsenal.
72 min: Mead makes a great run to pump some energy into this team but Blackstenius strays offside so the chance is over. Not a minute later and Blackstenius is being searched for again but once more she is offside.
70 min: McCabe sends the corner in and it finds Williamson, the ball had beaten Peyraud-Magnin, but the header is not on target. That was close.
69 min: Arsenal players are taking a touch too many and are struggling to get a cross away. Cascarino this time conceding a corner to prevent Russo sending it in.
68 min: Blackstenius has scored two goals in the last two games, both times she was a substitute. She will be hoping to have the same impact this evening.
66 min: Arsenal smell blood and keep the attacking steamtrain rolling but they are lacking a finishing sting. Juventus make a change with Bennison and Bergamaschi off for Boattin and Bonansea. Arsenal make a double change too with Foord and Maanum for Mead and Blackstenius.
63 min: Foord wins an Arsenal corner as the Gunners slowly build, can they find an opener? McCabe is over the set piece again and the delivery is good. It comes to Foord who takes a shot but the line of Juventus defenders on the line batter it away. Arsenal getting closer but not close enough yet.
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62 min: The chance has awoken fans in the crowd though, some more energy injected into the game.
60 min: Oh my god, Maanum and the fans both thought that went in but it was wide. The player went to celebrate it was that close but we are still held at a deadlock.
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58 min: This is one of those games where you’re urging someone to score to catch a bit more of a spark. There is some great football on display but the frustration when either team get close but don’t convert is present right now.
56 min: Arsenal seem slightly out of ideas with attacking ball, they just cannot batter down the Juventus defensive wall and the visitors are also growing in their own attack. But hang on, they muscle their way into the box and there’s a peach of a cross from Foord but no one is there to turn it in. The Aussie must be so frustrated.
54 min: Cantore wins a corner as Catley sees her cross out. The Juventus captain is over the set piece and the delivery is good but it can’t be controlled and Arsenal mop up the chance.
52 min: Some good battles across the pitch at the moment which is stalling both teams’ attack. The cagey atmosphere very much remains in this clash.
50 min: Juventus have a free kick after a McCabe foul. Caruso sees it in but it’s defended easy enough by the hosts.
49 min: Fox’s interplay has been good in this second half, she sparks some life into the attack but Walti’s cross is then cleared. The Gunners keep on coming with Fox popping it in but Peyraud-Magnin catches.
47 min: Arsenal start well here with Russo getting in a great position but her pass isn’t picked up by a teammate.
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Back underway: Arsenal 0-0 Juventus
So can Arsenal break down this impressive Juventus defence? Or can the visitors hold out? All to come.
Here’s details from Manchester City’s win over Hammarby:
If the score stays as it is Juventus still have a lot of work to do in this group. They will have to win their last two matches and need for Arsenal to drop points in theirs to progress.
Juventus will be the happier of the two sides heading into the changing rooms. Arsenal have looked more threatening going forward but the visitors have been able to contain the Gunners so far.
Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Juventus
We reach the break
45 min: A chorus of ‘we love you Arsenal, we do’ gets underway as Juventus peel forward and the hosts win it back, much to the pleasure of the supporters. Possession exchanges hands but the visitors are the next to attack but McCabe defends well.
43 min: Fox makes an excellent run and it’s the most space we’ve seen an Arsenal player have for a while but her pass to Foord is sloppy and Juventus are back in possession.
42 min: McCabe puts in a great delivery, Peyraud-Magnin punches away and it wasn’t a confident clearance but there’s enough on it to stop the chance.
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40 min: A good crowd in the Emirates tonight as well, they are being subdued into silence by this Juventus press but every moment Arsenal get front foot ball they come to life.
38 min: Arsenal win another corner as Cascarino clears a ball from Russo. This time McCabe takes it short, it’s the wrong option and Juventus snuff out the chance quickly.
37 min: Cascarino gets a yellow card for a shirt pull on Foord, advantage was played and Krumbiegel sees it out for a corner. McCabe takes it but Juventus ping it up to halfway.
36 min: A long range pass looms into the Arsenal box and Caruso leaps but just misses the ball, that would have been a huge chance if she made contact.
34 min: Foord wants a penalty with Krumbiegel challenging her in the box, she does get shoved but referee says play on. Juventus counter and Caruso rifles off a shot but Van Domselaar is wise to it.
33 min: Arsenal plugging away in attack but Juventus are well drilled. McCabe does get a cross in but Caruso clears.
31 min: Caldentey battles well against Bennison to set up a chance, she lays it off to McCabe but her shot is just over the bar. The Gunners edging closer to an opener.
29 min: Russo is blown for offside as Arsenal try to break the deadlock, aside from that rogue pass from Krumbiegel Juventus are defending really well.
27 min: Oh my word Krumbiegel won’t want to watch that back. She gives it away to Maanum and she gets a shot away but it’s over the bar. Peyraud-Magnin looked like she got a fingertip to that but it’s given as a goal kick.
25 min: That looked like it should have been given as a goal kick but the referee thought otherwise. Caruso puts in a good delivery but Catley clears, it comes back out for a shot to be rifled off by Van Domselaar easily collects.
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24 min: McCabe crosses in towards Russo but Calligaris heads clear before the England international can get to it. Juventus counter and Vangsgaard wins a corner.
22 min: Arsenal are still knocking on the door but Juventus, particularly through Cascarino and Krumbiegel, are wise to their moves.
20 min: It hasn’t been the most thrilling watch yet, Juventus are being very cagey which is understandable and Arsenal have been unable to take a clean shot at goal yet. No shots on target from either side so far.
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18 min: Juventus will be defending like their tournament depends on it because it does. Lose tonight and they will not be able to progress to the knockout stages.
16 min: A really long build-up from Arsenal with multiple passes at the back but they eventually put in a long pass forward but Caldentey can’t get on the end of it.
14 min: Some heavy touches in the final third really letting Juventus down at the moment, Arsenal seem much more composed across the pitch.
12 min: Foord is unleased down the right but Krumbiegel does excellently to quieten her, Fox picks up the ball and pops it into the box but Peyraud-Magnin reads it well to pluck it out of the air.
10 min: The first chance for Juventus as they work it well through the team to get it to the edge of the box but Caldentey does well to see it out for a goal kick.
8 min: Krumbiegel is doing well to silence Foord’s threat so far, the Australia international has been at the heart of Arsenal’s attack in the past few games and so Krumbiegel’s job is a crucial one this evening.
6 min: It has been all Arsenal so far, the latest chance coming from Fox but her cross is cleared.
4 min: Maanum with a great tussle down the right, how she kept that in play and to find the pass was masterful. The chance is eventually snuffed out b y the visitors but some good early work for Arsenal.
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2 min: Both teams finding their feet so far, William has emailed in and asked:
Thoughts on the Arsenal squad? Losing Miedema would have once felt unconscionable, but the team seems recently to have gelled, and to have great options on the bench. Their year?
They have definitely got into a groove under Renee Slegers and got some form together but I don’t think they’ll win the Champions League or WSL this season. The FA Cup and League Cup has some promise. Next season, if they appoint the right manager, they could fly.
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Kick-off! Arsenal 0-0 Juventus
Here we go.
Some news from elsewhere in the sport:
A win for Arsenal tonight would see them through to the quarter-finals. If Juventus lose it all but seals their exit after the group stage.
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In the 5.45pm GMT kick-offs Bayern Munich have drawn Valerenga 1-1 and Manchester City have been victorious over Hammarby. Khiara Keating, who has struggled for minutes this season, had an incredible game with Hammarby impressive in front of goal.
Here’s what happened in Chelsea’s group game yesterday against Celtic:
I’d love to hear from you, get in touch over email. Let me know what you’re up to while you keep up to date with this fixture.
Juventus head coach Massimiliano Canzi said of Arsenal: “Compared to last week, we’ll need to be more clinical when chances arise. We’ll have to stay in the game for as long as we can, despite Arsenal’s strength. Of course we spoke after the game at home and we know we can do better.”
Arsenal’s Emily Fox said of the team’s confidence: “Right now, we’re all very confident in each other and ourselves. And I think with the entire team, we feel together.
“Each game has been very difficult and we’ve been learning from each and really finishing our chances and learning from the hiccups at the beginning of the season. I think with tomorrow, like Renee was saying, it’s another game, another challenge, and I think we’re up for it. And I think with just the variety of games and opponents that we’ve played, it’s given us more confidence in the sense that we can deal with anything.”
Renee Slegers was asked about the challenges that come with playing the same team twice in a week. She said: “They know us very well now, and we know them very well. I think it’s a guessing game of what they will tweak and what they will do differently, we’re also a little bit further into the group stage now, what’s their mindset, what do they want to achieve in this game and how will they try to achieve it?
“So we’ve been going through a couple of scenarios of what we think they might do. I think we have three or four scenarios in our heads so we have to be prepared for all of them. I think, from a coaching perspective, it’s fun because you have one performance and you play against the exact same opponent and the challenge you have in front of you is to try to do better.”
The team news is in. Arsenal start Emily Fox who was player of the match last week. Mariona Caldentey again gets the nod over Beth Mead, who was also benched against Tottenham.
Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Walti, Little; Caldentey, Maanum, Foord; Russo
Subs: Zinsberger, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Mead, Kafaji, Hurtig, Kuhl, Blackstenius, Wienroither, Cooney-Cross, Reid.
Juventus, meanwhile, start Hanna Bennison who was benched last week.
Juventus: Peyraud-Magnin; Lenzini, Calligaris, Cascarino; Bergamaschi, Schatzer, Bennison, Krumbiegel; Caruso, Cantore, Vangsgaard
Subs: Capelletti, Proulx, Kullberg, Lehmann, Rosucci, Girelli, Bonansea, Boattin, Bragonzi, Beccari, Thomas, Gallo
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to our Women’s Champions League coverage where tonight we will be focusing on Arsenal v Juventus.
The two teams played each other in the reverse fixture last week and the Gunners clocked an impressive 4-0 win. Arsenal are unbeaten under interim boss Renee Slegers after Jonas Eidevall resigned in October.
The London side are second in their group with Bayern Munich topping the pile. Juventus, meanwhile, are third with just one win from three and so a win tonight would help their prospects of getting out of the group.
We will be looking at what has been said in the build-up to the game shortly but first let’s take a look at the team news before kick-off at 8pm GMT.
