"In our planning, we could see a difference in how Leuven do things in the first half compared to the second where they come out strong, aggressive, more opportunistic, create more chances and score more goals in the second half. They had that spell but we managed that. It was a team performance because when new players come on, we got new energy and new ideas It's not an easy place to come."
"The similarities between the last two European campaigns for Arsenal are striking. Last Christmas, they secured qualification in their penultimate group game in Oslo, a result that kickstarted their run to lifting the coveted trophy in Lisbon back in May. Slegers' side have mirrored that journey this year, albeit via the new Champions League format; wrapping progression up with a game to go despite faltering in the league, leaving only their finishing position up for grabs."
"Despite the possibility of finishing in the top four still available, there were few nerves among the buoyant Arsenal fans. Around 1,000 were expected to gather in Leuven 950 of whom had made the journey from England and they appeared to be making the most of the famous Christmas market before kick-off. The atmosphere carried over into a sold-out Den Dreef, a record crowd for a women's club match in Belgium."
Arsenal won 3-0 away at OH Leuven, with goals from Olivia Smith and Beth Mead plus a Saar Janssen own goal. The victory secured a seeded spot for Arsenal in the Women's Champions League knockout playoffs and ended the league phase in fifth place. Renee Slegers highlighted her team's maturity, intensity and ability to manage Leuven's second-half threat while benefitting from fresh energy when substitutes entered. The result mirrored Arsenal's recent European trajectory, securing progression with a game to spare despite domestic inconsistencies. Around 950 travelling fans joined a sold-out Den Dreef, producing a record crowd for a women's club match in Belgium.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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