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Thursday, January 29, 2026

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Arsenal hit six to reach FIFA Champions Final

Arsenal stormed into the final of the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup with a commanding 6-0 victory over Moroccan champions ASFAR in the semi final at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The Gunners took control early, racing into a 3-0 lead within just 21 minutes. Stina Blackstenius opened the scoring in the eighth minute, heading home after Beth Mead’s corner was nodded back across goal by Laia Codina. Frida Maanum doubled the advantage four minutes later, volleying past ASFAR goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi following a fine touch from Olivia Smith off Smilla Holmberg’s cross.

A penalty awarded after VAR confirmed handball by Zineb Redouani on Holmberg’s effort allowed Mariona Caldentey to slot home confidently for 3-0. Arsenal maintained their intensity, with Blackstenius heading narrowly wide from another Mead corner, while ASFAR’s Sanaa Mssoudy fired wide on a rare counter.

Olivia Smith added a fourth just before half time, calmly finding the bottom corner after Victoria Pelova’s pass.

Two changes at the interval saw Caitlin Foord and Kim Little replace Mead and Caldentey, and Foord was immediately involved, teeing up Maanum whose curled effort was saved. Maanum later set up Foord for a shot that forced another good stop from Er-Rmichi.

Further substitutions brought Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo on for Taylor Hinds and Blackstenius with under half an hour remaining. Russo made an instant impact in the 66th minute, smashing home from an angle after Maanum’s initial shot was spilled by the goalkeeper to make it 5-0.

Russo completed her brace in the 76th minute, bursting through onto Foord’s pass and finishing clinically into the bottom right corner to round off the scoring on the night.

The performance showcased Arsenal’s attacking depth and clinical finishing, securing their place in Sunday’s final against SC Corinthians, who advanced from the other semi final.

Corinthians took on Gotham FC of the NWSL earlier on in the day, also at the Gtech Community Stadium. This was a much more even clash with Gotham having the better of territory but wayward finishing was to cost them dear. Katie Stengel wasted their best opportunity when she shot wide from point blank range after being set up by Midge Purce, but this was symptomatic of their play with their 20 efforts on goal producing just one on target.

The decisive moment came with eight minutes remaining when 40-year-old Gabi Zanotti drove home the only goal of the game from the edge of the area, Ann-Katrin Berger being unable to keep the shot out.  

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup final between Arsenal and Corinthians kicks off at 6pm on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, with the third place play-off between the losing semi finalists at 2.45pm. Tickets for both matches are now on general sale.