UEFA Women’s Champions League
OH Leuven 0 – 3 Arsenal FT
Beth Mead scored her third goal for Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League this season [Getty Images]
Reigning holders Arsenal had to settle for a place in the Champions League knockout play-offs despite securing an impressive victory over Leuven in Belgium.
The Gunners, who beat Barcelona 1-0 in last season’s final to become European champions, needed three points to have any chance of finishing in the top-four places and moving straight into the quarter-finals.
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However, despite goals from Olivia Smith and Beth Mead and an own goal from Saar Janssen helping them to a convincing win, they came fifth in the league phase, one point behind fourth-placed Bayern Munich.
That means Renee Slegers side will now have a two-legged play-off in February against opponents to be determined in the draw at 12:00 GMT on Thursday.
Arsenal will either face Spanish side Atletico Madrid or have an instant rematch against Leuven, who finished 12th in the league phase.
In Belgium, the Gunners were by far the better side and Alessia Russo had seen two headers saved before Smith scored her first Champions League goal in the 18th minute.
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Smith played a one-two with Mariona Caldentey and surged into the Leuven penalty area with home goalkeeper Lowiese Seynhaeve saving Smith’s first effort, only to then be beaten by her follow-up shot.
Mead added a second nine minutes later. She collected a ball from Russo on the right side of the penalty area and cut inside on to her left foot and fired past Seynhaeve.
Arsenal’s third came in the 67th minute when Janssen steered Caitlin Foord’s low cross into her own net.
It was Leuven’s second defeat of the league phase after being beaten 3-0 by Barcelona, but Valerenga’s loss to Bayern Munich meant the Belgians scraped into the knockout play-offs.
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Bayern capitulation comes back to haunt Gunners
While Slegers would have been delighted with her side’s dominant performance in Belgium, she will know exactly the result that has proved costly for Arsenal.
The Gunners led 2-0 against Bayern in November, only for the Germans to score three second-half goals at the Allianz Arena, including two in the last 10 minutes, to snatch a 3-2 victory.
If Arsenal had held on for a draw in that match they would have claimed a top-four place and Bayern would have ended in the play-offs.
But Slegers will still be confident of her side’s chances of regaining their European title, which is likely to be Arsenal’s main focus this campaign, especially with them eight points behind Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City domestically.
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Given the ease they swept Belgian champions Leuven aside, Arsenal would be very happy to be drawn with them again if that was the outcome in Thursday’s draw.
The knockout play-offs will see Arsenal away, in either Spain or Belgium, on 11 or 12 February, with the home second leg a week later.
One positive for Arsenal is that England captain Leah Williamson continued her recovery after four months out with a knee injury as she came on midway through the second half for her first Champions League appearance since May’s final.
What’s next?
Arsenal play at Crystal Palace on Sunday (13:00 GMT) in the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup, before returning to WSL action on Saturday, 10 January (12:30 GMT) with a home game against Manchester United.
