Arsenal secured a late 1-0 victory over Danish side HB Køge in their Women’s Champions League group stage opener at Meadow Park thanks to a 93rd-minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey. The narrow win provided much-needed relief to the home fans but did little to dispel concerns about Arsenal’s ongoing struggles in front of goal.

The match exposed the challenges facing Arsenal, who have yet to find consistent clinical edge despite a talented squad. Head coach Renée Slegers described the result as a “mentality and resilience win,” acknowledging that the team’s overall play did not merit the victory but commending their collective determination.

Arsenal dominated early, with intense pressure in the first 20 minutes described by Køge manager Kristian Mørch as akin to “plunging into ice-cold water.” The visitors managed to withstand the early onslaught, and Arsenal’s only apparent scoring opportunity was disallowed when Chloe Kelly’s volley was ruled out for offside against Stina Blackstenius.

Both sides went into halftime scoreless, a reflection of Arsenal’s difficulties in converting chances—a pattern they have displayed in their domestic campaign, where they have collected just five points from three Women’s Super League matches. Meanwhile, Køge’s coaching staff celebrated every defensively won moment, a psychological tactic intended to maintain their team’s morale, which did not go unnoticed by the hosts.

The second half remained goalless until deep into stoppage time, when a rare defensive lapse by Yukina Sakabe resulted in a penalty after she fouled Selina Cerci. Caldentey was able to convert the spot-kick, breaking the deadlock and securing the win for Arsenal.

Mørch expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, highlighting the resilience shown under intense pressure and accepting the late defeat with pragmatism. “Around minute 80, I came to terms with the idea that if something happens, something happens,” he said. “My judgment of the overall performance kind of ended there. I’ve seen what I could dream of from the team.”

Looking ahead, Arsenal face a challenging fixture against Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. While the victory at Meadow Park staves off immediate concern, the Gunners will need to address their inefficiency in front of goal if they are to mount a serious challenge this season.