Caldentey Penalty Saves Arsenal Against HB Køge

Arsenal needed a 93rd-minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey to beat HB Køge 1-0 and open their Women's Champions League league phase with three points at Meadow Park.

Køge goalkeeper Alberte Vingum had kept the scoreline level until Caldentey stepped up from the spot in stoppage time.

It is now five games into the season for Arsenal across all competitions and three goals scored, a return manager Renée Slegers will not have wanted with Olympique Lyonnais, Benfica, Paris FC, Barcelona and Inter still to come in the league phase. Eight changes were made from the side that salvaged a point against Manchester United on Saturday, with only Leah Williamson, Steph Catley and Stina Blackstenius retained, and a trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday already in view.

Beth Mead's move to Manchester City this summer has left a gap up front that shows in matches like this one. Arsenal added defensive cover last month by signing Élisa De Almeida from PSG to cover injuries to Katie Reid and Vivianne Miedema, but the concern at Meadow Park was finishing rather than defending.

Inter beat Häcken 1-0 through an early Bugeja goal, and Benfica won 2-1 away at Juventus, for whom Alba Redondo — who has scored five times for the club since her August move — scored a late consolation after Lund's double.

If Arsenal cannot sharpen their finishing before the trip to Lyon, the profligacy on show against Køge may prove far more costly against tougher opposition than it did on this occasion.