Juventus 1-1 Arsenal: Vivianne Miedema scores to salvage point for Gunners
- Published
Vivianne Miedema has scored three goals in all competitions this season
Vivianne Miedema's goal helped Arsenal to a comeback draw at Juventus in their Women's Champions League group game.
It was the Dutch forward's first goal in seven matches.
Lineth Beerensteyn had opened the scoring for Juventus with an explosive run on the counter-attack before slotting past visiting goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger.
But Miedema's 61st-minute header from Frida Maanum's corner salvaged a point for the injury-hit Gunners.
Arsenal now have seven points at the top of Group C, while Juventus are second with five and Lyon, who beat Zurich 3-0 earlier on Thursday, are third with four points.
Manchester United ended Arsenal's 14-game winning run in the WSL with their dramatic injury-time victory at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, but Jonas Eidevall's side did not seem to be lacking in confidence at the Allianz Stadium.
They dominated first-half proceedings and Stina Blackstenius twice went agonisingly close to an opener, firing over from Maanum's slotted pass before latching on to another cross from the Norway midfielder but smacking it straight at Juventus goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
Juventus' only notable chance of the opening 45 minutes came on the stroke of half-time, but Arianna Caruso's powerful header from Barbara Bonansea's cross lacked direction.
For all Arsenal's chances, Beerensteyn's penetrating run in the 52nd minute was enough to break the deadlock and, although Miedema's leveller came just nine minutes later, Arsenal failed to find a moment of magic to claim the spoils.
Caitlin Foord twice came close, but Peyraud-Magnin denied her former club as she palmed away the first attempt and closed down the Australian forward to smother the second.
Eidevall said: "I thought we could've won tonight given the chances we created. We've come from a really tough game against United and are getting back to our way of playing against a tough team."
Gunners need Miedema to shine in Mead's absence
Despite United putting the first dent in Arsenal's record this season, the Gunners will arguably have been more disappointed to see their talismanic forward Beth Mead, who has scored five goals in all competitions this season, go off in tears at the end of that match.
The disappointment will have increased with the news Mead had suffered an ACL injury and is now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The Gunners squad was notably thin in Turin, with Leah Williamson, Lina Hurtig, Kim Little and Rafaelle Souza all also absent.
Arsenal boss Eidevall said his side are in a "tough situation" with the amount of injuries, but some of his squad could return for the reverse fixture at Emirates Stadium on 7 December.
Blackstenius was energetic in the first half but lacked a cutting edge and Arsenal will hope Miedema can now propel herself into the form that has seen her become the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 132 goals.
The 26-year-old smashed two chances over the bar in the final 10 minutes, having only returned from a leave of absence in time for the game against United.
"I'm very pleased with her goal, it's always about finding the balance with freshness and having continuity in training and play," added Eidevall.
"You can see that Viv was fighting hard today with the team on the pitch and that's what we need."