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LADIES: Arsenal 4-1 Breidablik
Post by salem6 on Oct 21, 2006, 8:01pm
UEFA Cup Q/F Leg 2
Meadow Park, Boreham Wood FC
Thursday, October 19, 2006, 7.30pm
Arsenal Ladies 4 Fleeting 7, Smith 24, Carney 84,
Yankey 89
Breidablik 1 Björnsdottir 68
By Chris Harris
http://www.arsenal.com/matchreport.asp?t....&title=UEFA+Cup:+Ladies+4-1+Breidablik+-+Report
Arsenal Ladies are a step closer to their first UEFA
Women's Cup Final after brushing aside Breidablik 9-1
on aggregate.
It would have taken a shock of seismic proportions to
deny Vic Akers' side a place in the last four after
last week's 5-0 win in Iceland. It never materialised.
Instead goals from Julie Fleeting, Kelly Smith, Karen
Carney and Rachel Yankey underlined Arsenal's
superiority.
Fleeting banished any notion of an upset with a smart
turn and finish after seven minutes and Smith lit up
the tie with a superb solo effort after 24 minutes.
Carney added a third six minutes from time with a low
shot from a narrow angle and Yankey completed the
scoring with an identical strike just before the final
whistle.
Breidablik refused to buckle and, despite being second
best for most of the night, they grabbed the
consolation goal their raucous, flag-waving supporters
craved. Emma Byrne fumbled a free kick 22 minutes from
time and Laufey Bjornsdottir pounced.
The margin of victory should perhaps have been even
more emphatic, but you couldn't accuse Arsenal of
complacency. They were professional from the first
minute to the last.
Tougher tasks lie ahead, but not too tough. Brondby
lie in wait in the Semi Finals, a team Arsenal beat in
last month's group stage. With both German sides out -
including favourites Frankfurt - the draw has opened
up nicely. There is a growing sense that this could be
Arsenal's year.
Before kick off, Akers opted to start with the same
side which lined up in Iceland. That meant Carney,
back after a stomach bug, had to settle for a place on
the bench.
Yankey was first to go close. A corner was laid back
to the England winger after five minutes and, with
very little backlift, she sent a rasping shot towards
goal. Pora Helgadottir stretched to tip the ball over.
The Breidablik keeper had little time for a breather.
Another corner caused confusion in the visitors'
defence and, when the ball fell to Fleeting, she span
sharply before rifling a shot low into the net.
Set pieces were clearly a problem for Breidablik. From
the next corner Lianne Sanderson's flick was heading
goalwards before a desperate clearance off the line.
Fleeting latched onto the rebound but Helgadottir
showed fine reflexes to deny her.
Yankey slammed a left-foot shot inches wide shortly
afterwards but the siege eventually ended and the
visitors gained a foothold in the match without ever
troubling Byrne in the Arsenal goal.
The chances dried up for Arsenal too but, after a
lull, Smith produced the moment of the match.
Collecting the ball 40 yards out, the England star
accelerated away from one challenge and muscled past
another before belting a shot into the top corner.
Helgadottir had no chance with that one but she did
brilliantly to deny Yankey 11 minutes before the
break. The Icelandic keeper was at full strength to
tip the winger's fierce shot to one side.
Yankey turned provider six minutes after the restart
with a low cross to Smith. The England star's
first-time shot whistled just wide. Then Fleeting
broke clear on the left but her cutback was carved
over the bar by Jayne Ludlow.
The captain went closer with her next effort just
after the hour mark. Yankey bewildered her marker for
the umpteenth time on the left flank and her cross was
hooked inches off target by Ludlow.
With a seven-goal aggregate lead and a sixth game in
18 days scheduled for Sunday, Akers took the
opportunity to rest some key players. With 25 minutes
left he replaced Smith and Katie Chapman with Carney
and Sian Larkin.
Then Breidablik scored. The goal came out of the blue
and it was a moment to forget for Byrne, who spilled a
simple catch after an aimless free kick. For the away
fans though, it was a moment to savour.
At the other end Carney met Yankey's low cross
perfectly but her first-time shot was superbly tipped
over by the impressive Helgadottir.
Carney had the last laugh, beating the offside trap to
shoot low into the bottom corner before Yankey grabbed
a carbon-copy goal in the final minute. It was no more
than Arsenal deserved. Brondby beware.