Arsenal will be in Friday’s Champions League group stage draw after successfully recovering from a first leg deficit to beat Hacken 4-1 on aggregate in their second round qualifier. Goals from Lia Walti, Mariona Caldentey, Frida Maanum and a stunner from Beth Mead allowed the Gunners to overcome some early nerves and cruise to a 4-0 victory on Thursday evening, putting the frustration of last week’s defeat in Sweden firmly behind them in the process.
In that 1-0 defeat in Gothenburg, Hacken sat back and frustrated their visitors and the plan was similar in this encounter too, with some positive moments on the counter surely raising the anxiety levels for most in north London. When Walti’s fierce effort from range cannoned off the crossbar and found its way into the net with an unfortunate deflection off goalkeeper Jennifer Falk then, the relief was palpable. As a roar from head coach Jonas Eidevall echoed through Meadow Park, it felt like Arsenal had done the hardest bit. Now, they just needed another.
That came just before half-time. Hacken were right to feel aggrieved by the goal that gave the Gunners the lead, as Stina Blackstenius certainly interfered with play from an offside position, but the officials either disagreed or didn’t see it, allowing Caldentey’s deflected strike to stand.
Tabitha Tindell, who scored the only goal in the first leg, had Hacken’s best chance of the night when Caldentey’s misplaced pass played her through on goal just after the break, a chance it felt like she had to take to turn the tide. But only a few minutes after her effort curled comfortably into the arms of Manuela Zinsberger, Arsenal had a third. It was the pick of the lot, too, Mead flicking the ball over the head of her marker before rifling a volley beyond Falk to all-but-secure the Gunners’ place in the Champions League group stages.
There was still time for one more though, with all three of Eidevall’s substitutes linking up to put the icing on the cake. Kyra Cooney-Cross picked out the run of Caitlin Foord and she cut it back for Maanum to finish first time in what was a really impressive team performance.
GOAL rates Arsenal’s players from Meadow Park…