Arsenal edge Køge with a last-gasp penalty as Mariona spares them a harsh European lesson

A spot-kick three minutes into stoppage time gives the Gunners a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Danish side in their Women's Champions League opener, and raises an old question again: where have Arsenal's goals gone?

Some wins add points and show up weaknesses at the same time, and that is what happened to Arsenal on their first European night of the season. They beat HB Køge with a single goal, a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time that Spain's Mariona Caldentey converted calmly. Arsenal had the ball for most of the match, but their only goal came from the spot.

Full control, no goals

Arsenal played the way a club of their size is expected to: long spells of possession, constant pressure and an almost permanent presence in the opposition half. Køge sat deep in front of their goal with compact, disciplined lines. That came as no surprise from a side that had lost only one of its previous nine European matches.

Arsenal kept reaching the edge of the box and stalling there. The ball went round, the final pass didn't arrive, and when a shot did come it missed. The one chance that seemed to have settled it, a Chloe Kelly strike, was ruled out by VAR because Stina Blackstenius was offside and blocking the goalkeeper's line of sight.

Changes that made no difference

Renée Slegers made eight changes to her line-up after the league draw with Manchester United, and the rotation seemed to cost her front line its understanding. At half-time the Dutch coach brought on Alessia Russo to try to force a result. The change made little difference, and Arsenal kept the ball without creating real danger.

A frantic finish

Just as a goalless draw looked the most likely result, Selina Cerci went down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Mariona stepped up and scored in the 93rd minute to give Arsenal all three points.

Australian defender Steph Catley called those moments "a pretty crazy five minutes" and praised Mariona's composure. She also admitted that "the goals are not coming as freely as they have in the past", which is an awkward thing for a team with title ambitions to have to say.

Analysis

The win is deserved, but it doesn't hide the problem. For some time Arsenal have struggled against teams that defend in a tight block. They control territory but can't find a way through, and they end up relying on an individual moment or a refereeing decision late on. That may be enough against Køge. It won't be enough against Barcelona and Lyon, or in a league phase that punishes teams who waste their chances.

Arsenal took the three points, but they still need to fix their finishing before the harder tests ahead.

Match card

  • Competition: UEFA Women's Champions League 2026-27, league phase, Matchday 1
  • Date: 22 September 2026
  • Result: Arsenal 1-0 HB Køge
  • Goal: Mariona Caldentey (90+3', penalty)
  • Turning point: Chloe Kelly's goal ruled out by VAR

Dr. Talal Othman, General Manager — GCC Sport