Arsenal boss responds as Gunners set up quarter-final v Chelsea
Renée Slegers was positive after Arsenal Women finished the job against OH Leuven to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Renee Slégers said the most important thing was to get the job done after Arsenal Women win OH Leuven 3-1 at a rain-soaked Meadow Park to seal a 7-1 aggregate victory and book a Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea.
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Already trailing 4-0 from the first leg in Belgium, Arsenal took the lead when Alessia Russo hit low, only for Sarah Pusztai to equalize after a VAR review overturned an offside flag. In difficult conditions, the hosts were tested at times, but they regained control after the break.
Caitlin Foord won the penalty which allowed Mariona Caldentey to restore the advantage, before Russo added his second of the evening to complete a comfortable progression to the last eight.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
“That’s the most important thing,” Slegers said after the game. “I think we went into this game with a 4-0 lead, we win today with 3-1, so overall a 7-1 win over two games, so we’re happy with that.
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“Today was not easy with the circumstances, but we played under the circumstances, we did it and we won, that was the most important thing and now we are going to qualify for the quarter-finals.”
The head coach also praised the supporters who traveled to Meadow Park in difficult weather conditions. “Yes, amazing because I think they have the same place as us, and the rain that hits you directly in the face and the wind, and the football that wasn’t always the best because the circumstances were different but I hope they saw the fight on the pitch,” she said.
“So, thank you again because they were loud and thank you for helping us get through this.”
Attention now turns to the quarter-final encounter with Chelsea, with Slegers remaining focused on the immediate schedule. “Yes, we’re looking forward to it,” she said. “We’re really happy to have now secured a place in the quarter-final. For us it’s Bristol City on Sunday, then an international break, then the next block starts.”
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Caldentey, whose penalty proved crucial that evening, recognized the challenge posed by Leuven. “Louvain did a very good job,” she said. “The three games I played against them (were difficult), but we wanted to be in this quarter-final so we are really happy. It was not an easy game, so we accept it.
“It’s the Champions League, it’s the quarter-finals so it will be very close (against Chelsea). We respect Chelsea a lot, but we want to be in the semi-finals so we will do our best.”