Arsenal had Mariona Caldentey to thank on Tuesday night as the Spaniard came off the bench to score from the spot to help defeat HB Køge 1-0.

The Gunners had welcomed the Danish champions to Meadow Park to kick off their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign. Renée Slegers shuffled the pack following Arsenal‘s 1-1 draw against Manchester United with eight changes to the starting eleven. Anneke Borbe, Smilla Holmberg and Taylor Hinds came in at the back, while it was all change in the midfield. All five midfielders changed with captain Kim Little and Kyra Cooney-Cross operating at the base of midfield. Further forward from left to right was Caitlin Foord, Frida Maanum and Chloe Kelly. Stina Blackstenius, who started against Manchester United led the line here too.

A star studded bench lay in wait, with names like Alessia Russo, Mariona Caldentey and Ona Battle all rested. Géraldine Reuteler was also included in the match day squad, hoping to make her competitive debut for Arsenal. Lotte Wubben-Moy was also fit enough to make the bench with doubts continuing over her availability after she did not feature against United. New signing Isabella Damm also made an Arsenal match day squad for the first time, against the champions of her native country.

HB Køge passed through several qualifying rounds to make the league stage. The Danish champions beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 on aggregate in the final round of qualifiers after knocking out Scottish champions Hearts in the previous round. Their headline stars, Nadia Nadim, Kyra Carusa, Mwanalima Jereko and former Gunner, Simone Boye Sørensen all started. Former Crystal Palace midfielder Mille Gejl captained the side having scored a brace on the weekend in a 4-0 victory over FC Midtjylland.

The Lineups

ARS: Borbe; Holmberg, Williamson, Catley, Hinds; Little, Cooney-Cross, Maanum; Food, Kelly; Blackstenius

KØG: Vingum; Schultz, Boye Sørensen, Urhre, Flick; Jereko, Gejl, Oyama, Witek; Nadim, Carusa

The Action

Within the first ten minutes, Chloe Kelly struck the first attempt on goal. Her fizzing shot was always rising and didn’t trouble the keeper. However, she and Holmberg were already looking a fruitful combination for Arsenal on the right side. Arsenal’s next opportunity came down that avenue too, Holmberg broke down the wing and drilled the ball into the box. Alberte Vingum cleared the ball only as far as an onrushing Maanum, the Norwegian’s effort was well parried the visiting goalkeeper. Within the first 15 minutes Arsenal thought they had their lead. After a lovely one-two, Cooney Cross delivered the ball into the box, Chloe Kelly directed it expertly into the bottom corner. However the goal was chalked off for offside after a brief VAR check with Blackstenius the guilty party.

After the goal was ruled out HB Køge began to demonstrate the type of football that put them in this position in the first place. Slick passing moves up the pitch with Jereko and Nadim particularly classy operators with the ball at their feet. Carusa did well to provide an option, holding the ball up well a number of times. HB Køge came close to a shock lead after another fine passing move resulted in full back Macy Schultz, advanced up the pitch, firing a vicious, dipping shot just over the crossbar.

As Arsenal wrestled for control Cooney-Cross took aim herself from distance, her effort whistled past the post on the cusp of half time. After the break, Arsenal brought on star striker Alessia Russo. Within minutes of the interval Slegers’s side had a couple of good opportunities, one saw Foord slice her shot off target before Hinds’s effort also missed.

The home side came close again when Cooney-Cross’s whipped ball into the box needed to be tipped over by Vingum. However clear cut opportunities were proving few and far between. Shortly after, Russo stormed down the left wing, powerfully shrugging off the challenge of her marker. She cut the ball back to Maanum who lifted her shot comfortably over the bar. Lisa Baum came off the bench for Arsenal and immediately created an excellent opportunity for Taylor Hinds whose smart slice of skill to create space for herself in the box was only matched by the last ditch block that denied her the opening goal.

Two of the substitutes nearly combined to open the scoring as the clock ticked past the 65th minute. Caldentey slipped through Baum, whose awkward first touch gave the Køge defence time to deal with the danger. It was hearts in mouth time for Arsenal with the minutes counting down as Emelía Óskarsdóttir broke free on the far side and her cross deflected into open space in the Arsenal six yard box. Leah Williamson would get to the ball first to clear but it drew a gasp from the home faithful. Williamson fired a shot over the bar at the other end late on and the match looked to be creeping towards a draw. And yet with 90 minutes gone, Selina Cerci was brought down in the box and Mariona Caldentey converted from the spot.

Arsenal Player Ratings

GK: Anneke Borbe – 7.5/10 – Confident under the high ball and smart off her line to identify potential danger.

RB: Smilla Holmberg – 8/10 – Holmberg had an exceptional start to the match, everything was going through her. She was the only player to make an accurate cross in the first 45 minutes and she made three of them. Rattled the crossbar from a corner in the second half.

RCB: Leah Williamson – 7.5/10 – Typically excellent with the ball at her feet, she was also dominant in the air winning four of her five aerial duels on the night.

LCB: Steph Catley – 7.5/10 – Was lucky to have the mercy of the referee early on after being dispossessed following a poor attempted pass. Made an outstanding block when Óskarsdóttir was played through on goal late on.

LB: Taylor Hinds – 7.5/10 – Hinds played a couple of lovely balls over the top that Arsenal failed to make the most of. Almost scored and on another night probably would have.

CM: Kim Little – 6.5/10 – Held onto the ball too long at times in and around the box.

CM: Kyra Cooney-Cross – 8/10 – Her shot in anger just before half time whistled just wide. Her range of passing was extremely good on the night all seven of her long balls found their mark in the first 45.

RW: Chloe Kelly – 7.5/10 – Used her power and strength to get Arsenal an early foothold in the match. Thought she’d broken the deadlock early on but her clinical finish was in vain. Tracked back impressively too.

LW: Caitlin Foord – 6/10 – Her ability to lose her marker is magic at times, her decision making after that remains a persistent issue

CAM: Frida Maanum – 7/10 – Fired a good shot goalward early on, forcing the keeper into her first meaningful stop. Maanum was a constant threat.

ST: Stina Blackstenius – 5/10 – Lost the ball too easily a number of times in the first half, swiped at the ball at the back post after a great corner from Holmberg.

SUBS

Alessia Russo (46′ Blackstenius) – 7/10 – Brought a much needed physical presence up top for Arsenal, battled for her team.

Lisa Baum (59′ Foord) – 6.5/10 – Had an impact off the bench, should have scored when played through on goal by Caldentey.

Mariona Caldentey (59′ Little) – 8/10 – Her exceptionally weighted through ball to Baum should have been her first assist of the season. Scored from the penalty spot to secure the victory.

Selina Cerci (72′ Maanum) – 7/10 – Did not get much service after coming off the bench, was able to effect the match by winning a penalty late on.

Olivia Smith (83′ Kelly) – N/A – 

The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Mwanalima Jereko

The Kenyan midfielder made an astonishing nine tackles and completed 13 defensive actions on the night. Jereko is an extremely classy operator on the ball, moving it quickly and ensuring her side kept the ball when under pressure.