Arsenal secured their place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League knockout stages with a narrow but vital 1-0 victory over FC Twente, despite another performance filled with missed opportunities.

The Gunners, who are defending their European title after last season’s triumph, have struggled to find fluency throughout the group stage. However, Beth Mead’s early strike proved enough to earn all three points and keep Arsenal’s campaign on track.

Mead’s Early Goal Gives Arsenal the Edge

Arsenal dominated from the opening whistle, pressing aggressively and keeping Twente pinned inside their defensive third. Their pressure paid off after 10 minutes when Beth Mead slotted a deflected effort into the bottom corner.

The goal came after Mariona Caldentey intercepted a sloppy Twente pass and supplied Alessia Russo, who spun cleverly before finding Mead in space. Just minutes earlier, Mead had seen a shot cleared off the line, signalling her attacking intent from the start.

Despite creating several promising attacking moments, Arsenal once again struggled to convert their chances into a comfortable lead. Russo headed wide from a corner, while several other dangerous moves fizzled out with poor finishing.

Dominance Without Clinical Edge

This match mirrored Arsenal’s recurring pattern this season: strong build-up play, territorial control, and high-intensity pressing—but a lack of ruthlessness in the final third.

Russo, who entered the match as the competition’s top scorer, missed three notable chances in the second half. Her closest attempt came late on when her header smashed off the crossbar. Substitute Frida Maanum also saw a powerful strike blocked heroically inside the box as Arsenal looked for a second goal to settle the tie.

Fortunately for the Gunners, Twente rarely threatened, managing just two shots the entire evening. Their only clear chance came in the first half when Sophie Proost headed over from close range.

“We weren’t ruthless enough,” Mead admitted post-match. “We had the chances. We just didn’t put enough of them away.”

Standout Performers and Tactical Bright Spots

Despite the lack of finishing, Arsenal showed strong tactical organisation. Their counter-press suffocated Twente’s attempts to build out from the back, repeatedly winning the ball high up the pitch.

• Mariona Caldentey was excellent, becoming the second-youngest player ever to reach 80 Women’s Champions League appearances.
• Olivia Smith and Mead caused constant problems down the wings.
• Russo played well creatively, even if she couldn’t find the back of the net this time.

Manager Renee Slegers had hoped to introduce Leah Williamson for much-needed minutes, but the match situation wasn’t ideal for a player returning from a long injury absence.

Arsenal’s Path Forward in the Champions League

The result lifts Arsenal to sixth in the table with nine points. As things stand, they are set to enter the knockout phase play-off round as a seeded team.

However, if they want to avoid the extra fixture and progress directly to the quarter-finals, they must beat Leuven on matchday six and hope results elsewhere fall in their favour.

Mead acknowledged the team’s inconsistency this season:
“We know we can compete with the best. It’s about putting complete performances together and making sure we get the results.”

Player of the Match: Beth Mead

Beth Mead earned the highest rating of the match with an 8.74, reflecting her decisive performance in attack and constant threat throughout the 90 minutes.