Live Blog: Arsenal Women begin life after Jonas Eidevall against Valerenga
Interim head coach Renee Slegers takes charge after Eidevall's resignation
Live BLog Wednesday Oct 16th
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Full-time: Arsenal 4-1 Valerenga
90+3' Alessia Russo has her deserved goal! She's missed some chances tonight but finishes well here and makes it 4-1.
90+2' A great reception for Lina Hurtig, who comes on for the first time this season alongside Katie Reid. They replace Lia Walti and Laia Codina. 3-1
90' Stolen Godo has space in the box and her shot is deflected behind for a corner. 3-1
86' No idea how Blackstenius hasn't scored there! She races through on goal and her first shot is saved before the rebound hits the crossbar from a couple of yards out. 3-1
85' Goal! Mariona Caldentey seals the win for Arsenal after a clever attacking move from Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum. Good build-up play and smartly done by Blackstenius before a composed finish. 3-1
83' Blackstenius gets in behind and Enblom does well to come out and smother the ball before denying Maanum! 2-1
83' It's been a quiet second half after Valerenga's exploits before the hour mark, in which they really ought to have equalised through Saevick.
78' 5,613 are in attendance at the Emirates, as Stina Blackstenius replaces Caitlin Foord. 2-1
75' Saevik breaks forward but Little and Fox can combine to clear away her cross. 2-1
73' It feels like it's all about the result now for Arsenal. Started brightly but Valerenga have played well and have even had the chances to equalise. A question of Arsenal's character now just to get this game over the line. 2-1
70' The sloppy Codina loses the ball again and Heidarsdottir tries her luck with van Domselaar off her line, but the goalkeeper recovers well. 2-1
66' Mariona drives into the box and shoots straight at Enblom. 2-1
65' Good cross from Maanum and Russo couldn't quite get there- excellent defending by Thorsnes. 2-1
61' Katie McCabe and Beth Mead are replaced by Steph Catley and Frida Maanum. 2-1
58' It's been a strong spell for Valerenga in this second half so far. Horte's header towards goal is cleared away. 2-1
55' Williamson drives a low shot into the hands of Enblom from range. 2-1
53' What a chance for Saevik! She leaves Codina for dead and then sends Williamson the wrong way. Far, far too easy. Fortunately for Arsenal, her shot flies over. 2-1
Valerenga have definitely shown they're going to be a very tough prospect when Arsenal travel to Norway to face them in December- the Gunners then end their group stage against Bayern Munich- far from easy!
49' Valerenga have proven again just how tough this group is- Arsenal end their group travelling to Oslo to face them before returning home to play Bayern Munich, a potentially formidable last two games. 2-1
46' The second half is underway. 2-1
Both teams are back out for the second half.
Enough complaints about broadcasting though! Defensive errors aside (again) it's been a better first half for Arsenal, but anything worse would have been pretty unthinkable, with all due respect to Valerenga.
Can tell that Olaug Tvedten is coming off the pitch with so much energy and adrenaline- the last thing she wants to do is formulate some sentences for a half-time interview. Just a complete waste of time.
An error from Laia Codina however allowed Olaug Tvedten to pull a goal back, and Arsenal still have lots more work to do.
Half-time: Arsenal 2-1 Valerenga. A fine start with Emily Fox scoring in less than two minutes, and Renee Slegers' side looked to be cruising after Caitlin Foord's goal. An
45+1' Three added minutes. 2-1
44' Russo goes for goal and again is denied expertly by Enblom, who has had the England striker's number so far. 2-1
40' Brilliant tenacity from Mariona to win the ball after Kovacs was trying to see it behind for a corner. The defender recovered well though, and has conceded a corner. 2-1
39' Some sloppiness creeping in for Arsenal as Little's pass is too short for Fox and intercepted. That was a needless goal to concede and Valerenga are back in the game. 2-1
35' Well, Arsenal's defensive problems will not disappear so easily. Olaug Tvedten has acres of space in the box and finishes well past van Domselaar after Codina lost the ball up against Saevik. 2-1
31' Quite similar to Arsenal's opener in a way, coming down the left wing, across to the back post via a bit of luck in the middle of the box. 2-0
30! Goal! Now Arsenal have their second. Mariona drives through midfield and finds Mead. Her cross is deflected, and palmed into Foord's path by the goalkeeper for her to finish, and make it 2-0
29' Williamson's header is deflected onto the post, Little's shot is saved and then Enblom is able to keep out two more shots from Russo! How have Valerenga survived there? 1-0
28' Mead moves the ball wide to Fox and Valerenga, camped back in a 5-3-2 shape, can head away. McCabe then takes aim from a long way out and her shot is deflected wide. 1-0
24' Mariona's low cross is cleared away after Foord broke well on the counter. 1-0
22' Good save by van Domselaar, diving down to her right after Arsenal lost the ball and Thomsen went for the bottom corner. 1-0
19' McCabe's resulting free-kick sails into the hands of Enblom. 1-0
18' A proper take one for the team foul by Thorsnes, bringing down the lively Russo. 1-0
15' Arsenal are on top here, showing signs that this could be just the game the Gunners needed following Eidevall's departure. 1-0
10' Russo's in again down the right and shoots from close range, excellently saved by Emblom with her legs. 1-0
9' Arsenal push forward again and Russo buries a shot into the bottom corner, but the flag is raised. Clever ball from Little in behind but she was a long way off. 1-0
7' A deep cross towards the back post is headed over by Heidasdottir, who was far too strong for Fox in the air. 1-0
3' Heidarsdottir then has a corner up the other end and just floats it wide of the mark. 1-0
2' Goal! Emily Fox puts Arsenal in front just 65 seconds into Renee Slegers' first game in charge. Great work by Foord driving into the box, Russo couldn't get a shot away but Fox is there- think that's her first Arsenal goal. 1-0
1' We are underway! The Renee Slegers era (hmm, not sure if that works) begins at Emirates Stadium. 0-0
Wubben-Moy is reportedly absent due to concussion.
The teams are in the tunnel- all the photographers have surrounded Renee Slegers' technical area!
Arsenal go into the game bottom of Group C, with Valerenga 3rd after only losing 1-0 to Juventus. The Gunners were thrashed 5-2 by Bayern Munich in Bavaria.
Struggling to get my head around the fact that Arsenal Women's last Champions League game at the Emirates was that semi-final against Wolfsburg in May last year!
Lina Hurtig returns to Arsenal's squad after a period of injury as well as time away from the game for personal issues. A real boost for both Lina and the team for her to be back!
For further reaction to Jonas Eidevall's departure, make sure to read my opinion piece on his tenure as Arsenal head coach (on the Gooner Fanzine website), and check out the latest Gooner Fanzine Arsenal Women Podcast, where Claudia Loy joined me to discuss the breaking news.
Elsewhere, Man City have won 3-2 in Austria against a valiant St Polten side. In Arsenal's group, Juventus were beaten 2-0 at home by Bayern Munich.
Valerenga beat FC Farul Constanta 3-1 and then Anderlecht 5-1 over two legs in qualifying, including having two players sent off over the course of their campaign.
Norwegian champions Valerenga have won their last 12 league games, and are nine points clear of 2nd placed Brann. Rosenborg, who Arsenal beat 1-0 in UWCL qualifying last month, are a whole 23 points behind the Oslo-based side.
However, Renee Slegers has elected for continuity this evening, with only one enforced change. It's a tough ask for those players, who only found out about Eidevall's departure yesterday.
Had Jonas Eidevall enjoyed a good start to the season, we would have likely seen plenty of changes from Sunday's game, with a few fringe players given oportunities.
10 outfield players on Arsenal's bench, just five for Valerenga.
Valerenga subs: Erichsen, Grinde-Hansen, Olsen, Lindwall, Sesay, Arnesen, Enger.
Valerenga: Enblom; Kovacs, Thorsnes, Horte; Heidarsdottir, Bjelde, Vickius, Thomsen; Tvedten, Saevik, Stolen Godo.
Arsenal subs: Zinsberger, Williams, Catley, Maanum, Kafaji, Hurtig, Kuhl, Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross, Lia, Godfrey, Reid.
Arsenal: van Domselaar; McCabe, Codina, Williamson, Fox; Walti, Little; Foord, Mariona, Mead; Russo.
Slegers has made one change to Eidevall's final Arsenal lineup, a 2-1 loss to Chelsea. Laia Codina replaces the unavailable Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Arsenal begin life post-Jonas Eidevall after their head coach resigned from his position on Tuesday. Interim manager Renee Slegers takes charge of the Gunners tonight.
Good evening and welcome to our coverage of Arsenal Women v Valerenga in the Champions League!