Lina Hurtig’s late poke-in ensured Arsenal secured a spot within the Champions League knockout stage with two group video games remaining, a 1-0 win over Juventus sufficient to place them clear on the expense of the Italian membership.

The Gunners wanted a win to make sure development to the quarter-finals after Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw with Valerenga in Norway. As an alternative of the Group C standings being finely poised, Hurtig’s aim gave them the respiration room they so desperately wished earlier than they face Bayern at Meadow Park to very seemingly determine who tops the group.

“It’s the final word finish to a really busy and intense block we’ve got had,” mentioned interim supervisor Renée Slegers. “It means loads. All the gamers completely deserve it. It offers us some respiration area within the final two video games as properly.”

Slegers’s aspect had been unchanged from the crew that earned a snug 3-0 win over Tottenham on the weekend, Katie McCabe pushing ahead when the Gunners had been in possession leaving Leah Williamson, Steph Catley and Emily Fox to function as a again three. It has been a profitable play for Arsenal in current weeks, the additional attacking participant serving to them choose open cussed defences, however Juventus had executed their homework and pissed off them for 89 minutes.

There was no room for complacency regardless of the 4-0 defeat of Juventus within the reverse fixture the previous week. It could be unfair to recommend that scoreline flattered Arsenal, however the recreation in Biella was removed from straightforward. It took the Gunners till the seventy fifth minute to get their second and put the sport to mattress, with Slegers saying that had taken loads out of them “bodily and psychologically”.

At a bitterly chilly Emirates Stadium, there was frustration as congestion stepping into the bottom meant that some followers missed the primary quarter-hour and arrived to seek out their seats taken. The membership needed to open one other block within the decrease tier to seek out area for them. It was not very best, however is in the end a teething drawback because the membership balances the various crowd sizes for ladies’s fixtures on the floor and the proper ranges of staffing required.

Luckily, or sadly, relying on which approach you have a look at it, they didn’t miss a lot. Arsenal have scored 19 targets in six video games since Jonas Eidevall departed and Slegers was appointed as interim supervisor, earlier than the go to of Juventus, however in opposition to the Italian membership it was 24 minutes earlier than the house crew had their first convincing probability, Frida Maanum firing over from a good angle.

Different moments of word? Arsenal centre-back Williamson taking a goalkick forward of keeper Daphne van Domselaar. That was about it. Arsenal had dominated possession, having over 75% of the ball, however had simply the one shot to indicate for it from the primary half.

After the break, the story was comparable, the house crew struggling to interrupt by the organised line of defense of the Italian aspect.

They might go agonisingly shut simply earlier than the hour mark in fast succession. First, when Katie McCabe’s backheel discovered Mariona Caldentey and the Spaniard performed it centrally to an unmarked Maanum, however she put her effort extensive of the close to submit, the followers’ half-celebrations quelled because the ball hit the digital hoardings. Then, when a goalmouth scramble noticed Caitlin Foord have a shot blocked on the road.

Regardless of visibly tiring, the visiting crew sensed they might snatch greater than a degree and Van Domselaar can be known as into motion for the primary time with quarter-hour remaining, getting right down to push away Arianna Caruso’s low effort in direction of the far nook. Substitute Hurtig twice had the vocal 9,963 crowd gasping, the second of her two headers flying over the bar from the six-yard line with the aim gaping and the keeper nowhere.

It felt like the percentages had been in opposition to them, however the Swede can be Arsenal’s saviour, poking fellow sub Stina Blackstenius’s cross off the foot of a defender and in, earlier than she may clear, within the 89th minute to seal victory. There was aid within the celebrations. Slegers’ file stays near unblemished, with six wins and a draw from seven matches. The Renéessance continues.

“It’s surreal to be sincere,” mentioned the supervisor. “I by no means felt we’d get into this case. Now we have executed rather well however I used to be a part of Jonas [Eidevall’s] employees and there was a lot that was constructed throughout his time. I don’t wish to separate that. There may be a lot we’re nonetheless constructing on. It’s surreal in so some ways however we’re very blissful.”