The league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League is beginning to take shape, with the latest round of fixtures offering another important opportunity for Europe’s leading sides to strengthen their positions.
For Arsenal, the challenge was to turn a positive domestic result into another convincing European performance, with difficult tests against Barcelona and Lyon still to come. Chelsea, meanwhile, were looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season as they continued their pursuit of success on multiple fronts.
Both English sides had work to do against Italian and Portuguese opposition, with individual moments proving decisive in their respective encounters.
Alessia Russo hat-trick fires Arsenal to 3-0 win over Benfica
Arsenal delivered the response they needed in Europe, recording a 3-0 victory over Benfica to make it back-to-back wins in the Women’s Champions League league phase.
Alessia Russo was the star of the evening, scoring all three goals to secure a commanding result for Renee Slegers’ side. The England international’s hat-trick also saw her overtake Fran Kirby for the most Women’s Champions League goals scored by an English player.
With Barcelona and Lyon still to face, Arsenal needed both the points and a performance capable of building confidence ahead of those demanding fixtures. They created numerous opportunities throughout the contest, although Benfica goalkeeper Lena Pauels ensured the hosts had to remain patient before establishing a comfortable advantage.
Arsenal started brightly, pressing Benfica and looking to exploit space in the final third. Olivia Smith tested Pauels early on, while Ona Batlle and the returning attacking options helped the Gunners create further opportunities as the first half progressed.
Arsenal’s pressure eventually told in the 39th minute. Caitlin Foord found Russo near the corner of the penalty area, and the striker fired a low effort into the far corner to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Russo continued to threaten after the interval, with Pauels called upon to keep her side in the contest. Arsenal maintained their attacking intensity and found a second goal in the 65th minute, when Russo met a Katie McCabe corner with a header that bounced beyond the goalkeeper.
Benfica had moments of their own, with a chance for Dorsin in the first half and an effort from Norton after the break testing Arsenal’s concentration. The Gunners, however, continued to create the clearer openings and looked increasingly likely to add to their advantage.
The decisive moment arrived in the 76th minute. Foord was brought down inside the penalty area after an Arsenal attack, allowing Russo to step up and complete her hat-trick from the spot. She sent Pauels the wrong way and powered the ball into the top of the net to seal a 3-0 victory.
Arsenal thought they had scored a fourth in stoppage time when Foord found the net following a Russo cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
The final score remained 3-0, giving Slegers’ side a valuable European win and a platform to build on as the league phase continues. Russo’s performance was the headline, but Arsenal’s ability to sustain pressure and create chances throughout the match will also provide encouragement ahead of their upcoming tests.
Chelsea beat Roma 2-0 to maintain unbeaten start
Chelsea continued their strong start to the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Roma, extending their unbeaten run in all competitions and strengthening their position in the Women’s Champions League league phase.
Sonia Bompastor’s side were not always at their most clinical, but they controlled much of the contest and created enough opportunities to secure the points. Roma defended stubbornly for long periods, yet Chelsea’s changes after the interval helped the hosts find the breakthrough.
Bompastor rotated her starting side, with four players left out of the XI as she managed her squad across a demanding schedule. The decision paid off when substitute Ellie Carpenter made an immediate impact after coming on at half-time.
The Australian defender needed only six minutes to put Chelsea ahead, finishing past goalkeeper Rachele Baldi to break the deadlock. It was a significant contribution on her 50th appearance in the competition, and her goal gave the Blues the platform to manage the remainder of the match.
Chelsea had threatened before the opener. Alyssa Thompson caused problems in attack, with one delivery tipped onto the crossbar, while Lauren James and Wieke Kaptein were among those to come close. Kaptein sent an effort over from close range, and England striker Aggie Beever-Jones was unable to convert a promising opportunity after being played through by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
The home side continued to create chances after taking the lead, with Melvine Malard firing wide and James seeing an effort saved. Chelsea’s attacking play was not always rewarded with the finishing it deserved, but Roma struggled to build sustained pressure of their own.
There was a moment of danger for Chelsea when a misplaced pass allowed Roma captain Giada Greggi to break forward. Erin Cuthbert responded with an important sliding block to halt the attack, while Hampton’s distribution helped Chelsea move the ball quickly into advanced areas.
The Blues finally made the result safe in the 89th minute. Kaptein delivered a corner into the penalty area, and defender Kadeisha Buchanan rose to head home the second goal.
It was a professional finish to a performance in which Chelsea had largely dictated the tempo. Although they could have scored more, the result continued a promising European campaign that has already included a point away to Lyon.
Chelsea remain unbeaten in all competitions and are level on points with Manchester City at the top of the domestic table, underlining the consistency Bompastor’s team have shown during the opening months of the season.
Their next challenge will be to maintain that momentum as the league phase progresses, with the depth of the squad likely to remain important across domestic and European competitions.
Women’s Champions League results: Bayern draw and Lyon thrash Inter
There was plenty of action elsewhere in the league phase, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid sharing the points in a 2-2 draw.
Servette produced an emphatic performance to defeat Oud-Heverlee Leuven 5-1, while Lyon scored six goals against Inter to record one of the round’s most convincing victories.
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are set to meet on Thursday evening, with their result to be added to this roundup once the match has concluded.
With the league phase continuing to develop, the latest results offer another indication of the challenges facing clubs competing for a place in the knockout rounds.
Arsenal will take confidence from Russo’s hat-trick, while Chelsea’s ability to find a way through a stubborn defence will also prove valuable as the competition intensifies.
