FT: Arsenal 6-0 Rangers
Caitlin Foord scores four goals for Arsenal, Alessia Russo and Kim Little also on target
Gunners will play Rosenborg on Saturday for chance to reach second round of qualifying, Rangers face Atletico Madrid
Gunners didn't qualify for group stages of competition last season
Get Involved: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Arsenal 3-0 Rangers
Emma Sanders
BBC Sport senior women's football reporter at Meadow Park
A few times the emotions have spilled over here. Both Rangers full-backs have been involved. Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall is speaking animatedly with the fourth official on the far side.
Arsenal 3-0 Rangers
There's a coming-together between Caitlin Foord and Nicola Docherty as Foord goes down, with Foord pushing the Rangers captain.
Neither are penalised though.
Arsenal 3-0 Rangers
Emma Sanders
BBC Sport senior women's football reporter at Meadow Park
That's surely game over.
Rangers did fairly well at keeping Arsenal out of their box for most of the first half but the Gunners have found so much space since the break.
Alessia Russo doesn't hesitate to shoot when it opens up for her and Caitlin Foord couldn't miss.
Image source, Getty Images
Alessia Russo (60 mins)
Another!
Wow. So soon after the restart.
It's a lovely finish from Alessia Russo, who picks the ball up on the edge of the box and drives it past Victoria Esson.
Image source, Getty ImagesCaitlin Foord (59 mins)
She has another!
Arsenal get their second goal. They've been ssearching for it for a while.
Kim Little does incredibly well to weave through a few Rangers defenders and spot a gap to poke the ball forward into.
Caitlin Foord then powers home.
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal 1-0 Rangers
The Arsenal fans shout 'shoooot' as Katie McCabe has the ball near goal. She doesn't.
Better from Arsenal, these past few minutes. They're back in control.
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
So close!
Kim Little surges into the middle of the box, but Olivia McLoughlin gets a crucial block in to send it behind.
That would've been difficult for Victoria Esson to deal with.
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Emma Sanders
BBC Sport senior women's football reporter at Meadow Park
The home fans are having fun with Rangers goalkeeper Victoria Esson every time she takes a goalkick. I can't type the words they are using but it goes along the lines of "ooooooooh, you're... ahhh"
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Ooooh.
Leah Williamson whips a cross towards Frida Maanum at the back post.
The Norwegian swings at it, but she can't connect.
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal 1-0 Rangers
Better from Rangers since the restart.
They've been getting much higher up the pitch, with youngster Mia McAuley having a big impact.
They didn't really escape their own half before the break.
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Mia McAuley has already been given a talking-to by the referee.
She argues with an Arsenal player after going down but isn't booked for her response.
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Arsenal get the second half started.
Mia McAuley is on for Brogan Hay at the break for Rangers.
Image source, Getty ImagesHT: Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Teams are back out for the second half at Meadow Park.
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
In some other Arsenal news from tonight, winger Mariona Caldentey - who has been excellent this evening - is among the women's Ballon d'Or nominees.
She joined the Gunners from Barcelona this summer.
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
A reminder of how the rest of first round qualifying works.
The loser plays Atletico Madrid at 12:00 BST on Saturday in the third-placed play-off.
The winner takes on Rosenborg at 19:30 BST on Saturday. The winner of that game goes into the second round.
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
It was a tough night for Cardiff City.
They suffered a 7-0 humbling by FC Twente in the their first round qualifying semi-final.
The Welsh team are in the Champions League for a second successive season having won a domestic treble in 2023-24.
But Iain Darbyshire’s team were outclassed by the Dutch champions at Sportpark Schreurserve in Enschede.
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Emma Sanders
BBC Sport senior women's football reporter at Meadow Park
As expected, Arsenal have completely dominated. Manuela Zinsberger hasn't had a touch yet. Rangers just can't keep hold of the ball when they do win it back rarely. However, it's only 1-0. I think the visitors will be pretty happy with that.
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal 1-0 Rangers
Not the most enthralling half of football, to be honest.
Arsenal lead at the break.
Arsenal 1-0 Rangers
Into the final couple of minutes of the first half.
Arsenal are sending a lot of their play down the left-hand side. Mariona Caldentey and Frida Maanum are producing some neat bits of play.
But it isn't always coming off. They keep ending up playing the ball back.
Image source, ReutersArsenal 1-0 Rangers
Victoria Esson hasn't been the steadiest.
Emily Fox sends a cross into the middle and she punches it out. Luckily a Rangers player meets it first.
Caitlin Foord (left) and Mariona Caldentey (right) competed at the Olympic Games this summer for Australia and Spain respectively
Caitlin Foord scored four goals as Arsenal progressed from their first tie of Women's Champions League qualifying with a comfortable victory over Rangers.
Jonas Eidevall's side were playing their first competitive match of the season at Meadow Park and were rarely challenged by the SWPL leaders.
Having failed to progress from qualifying last season, Arsenal knew there was no room for error and they came out of the blocks quickly.
Foord opened the scoring, heading in debutant Mariona Caldentey's deep cross, before adding a second from close range after half-time.
The hosts continued to dominate in a one-sided affair and England striker Alessia Russo quickly made it 3-0, drilling her shot into the far corner, before Foord completed her hat-trick with a sublime volley.
Rubbing salt into Rangers' wounds, Arsenal captain Kim Little converted from the penalty spot late on and Foord capped off an impressive display with her fourth goal in the final minute.
"When you see us play today, I enjoyed that because you see a connected team that defends together and works really hard," said Arsenal boss Eidevall.
"It is an enjoyable team to watch, an even more enjoyable team to work with and we started the competitive season in a good way."
The Gunners must navigate a final match of round one - they face Rosenborg on Saturday (19:30 BST) for a place in the second round of qualifying.
Arsenal defender Leah Williamson admitted last season’s premature exit following defeat by Paris FC was a "hurtful" moment for the club and they vowed to make sure it didn’t happen again.
They still have two ties to navigate to confirm their place in the group stages but this was a far more convincing opening performance of the season.
Having planned a pre-season tour in the United States to get his players ready for this encounter, manager Eidevall would have been pleased with the ease in which they got the job done.
Rangers, who have scored 43 goals in five league matches this season and not conceded any, were brought back down to earth by Arsenal’s relentless passing game.
New signing Caldentey, who joined from Barcelona and is on the list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award, was impressive as she linked up with captain Little in midfield and took on a free, roaming role.
Foord stepped up in the absence of injured England winger Beth Mead and Eidevall was able to rotate his starting XI, giving another debut to summer signing Rosa Kafaji.
"I enjoyed it. I had fun. I was extremely excited to get back out there in Arsenal colours," said Foord.
"Having the type of players we have on the ball to put those crosses in like that, I just knew I had to get on the end of them. I'm happy to see a few go in!"
For Rangers, it was an evening to forget but they will learn plenty from an encounter with one of England’s elite, who have a squad more than capable of challenging for the European trophy.
The SWPL leaders have never reached the group stages of the Women’s Champions League and they were always heavy underdogs in London.
"People will look at the scoreline and think one thing. But if you were here - we were in a game. We just have to learn from moments. It can't go from two, to three, to four, that quickly," Rangers assistant coach Jay Bradford told BBC Sport.
"We'll learn from it. It was a big moment for us - we weren't in the Champions League last year. It's been an experience for the players and one they will learn from."
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 22 | 16 |
|
| 2 | SL Benfica | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 9 |
|
| 3 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
|
| 4 | Rosengård | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 23 | -20 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympique Lyonnais | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 20 | 14 |
|
| 2 | Brann | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 13 |
|
| 3 | Slavia Prague | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 5 |
|
| 4 | St. Pölten | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 14 | -12 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
|
| 2 | Ajax | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 10 |
|
| 3 | Bayern Munich | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
|
| 4 | Roma | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 5 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 14 |
|
| 2 | Häcken | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
|
| 3 | Paris FC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 7 |
|
| 4 | Real Madrid | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 1 |
|
Manager: Jonas Eidevall
Manager: Jo Potter
Manager: Jonas Eidevall
Manager: Jo Potter
UEFA Women's Champions League
Skip to form guideAll competitions
Skip back to season so far
