Arsenal start UEFA Women's Champions League campaign with a win, but where are the goals going to come from? — SkimNews
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- Arsenal opened the UWCL league phase with a 1-0 win over HB Koge, sealed by Mariona Caldentey's stoppage-time penalty after the hosts registered 19 shots but put only two on target against keeper Alberte Vigum.
- Arsenal have scored just three goals across five matches in all competitions this season, despite lifting the 2024-25 Champions League and reaching last season's WSL/UWCL runner-up stages (WSL second, UWCL semifinals).
- Arsenal held roughly 70% of possession against Koge yet generated an opponent xG of just 0.36, while their defense allowed only four shots — exposing an imbalance that manager Renee Slegers must fix.
- Beth Mead's summer move to Manchester City is already stinging; she scored her first goal for her new club against Champions League contender Bayern Munich.
- Renee Slegers faces Chelsea away on Sunday in the WSL, followed by UWCL league-phase fixtures against Olympique Lyonnais, Benfica, Paris FC, Barcelona, and Inter.
- HB Koge, regular UWCL participants since 2021, stayed compact enough to force Arsenal into the late foul that produced the decisive penalty.
Why it matters: As defending European champions, Arsenal's 3-goals-in-5-matches attacking output is a red flag ahead of league-phase ties against Lyon, Barcelona, and Inter, while WSL fixtures against Chelsea and an improving Manchester City leave Slegers little time to repair a misfiring frontline before the season slips away.
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