Arsenal had a new face in the dugout but had to survive defensive jitters before overcoming Valerenga 4-1 in their Champions League group clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Jonas Eidevall’s resignation on Tuesday saw his assistant Renee Slegers placed in temporary charge and her stewardship opened with only the Gunners’ second win of the season.
Emily Fox and Caitlin Foord were on target in the first half and Arsenal would have galloped out of sight had it not been for the reflexes of Tove Enblom in the Norwegian visitors’ goal.
But the evening was made far nervier than it should have been thanks to the Gunners’ frailty in defence that gifted Valerenga their goal via Olaug Tvedten and then produced several further uncomfortable moments.
It continued a theme of their season and the biggest culprit was centre-back Laia Codina, whose return in place of Lotte Wubben-Moy was the only change to a side featuring Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe for the first hour.
Mariona Caldentey’s 85th-minute strike eventually allowing Arsenal to breathe easily before Alessia Russo struck the fourth in injury-time.
Mary Fowler headed Manchester City to victory at St Polten as they left it late to snatch the points in a 5-2 Group D thriller.
City, who dispatched champions Barcelona in their opening fixture, led through Australia international defender Alanna Kennedy’s early piledriver at the Generali Arena in Vienna, but found themselves trailing after Melanie Brunnthaler levelled and Kamila Dubcova put the hosts ahead.
Japan international Aoba Fujino dragged Gareth Taylor’s side back into it with her first goal for the club, but it was Kennedy’s Matildas team-mate Fowler who secured the win with an 80th-minute header to maintain their 100% start to the group stage.
Barcelona equalled a club record as they hammered Hammarby 9-0 in Group D at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
Caroline Graham Hansen and Claudia Pina bagged braces, with Alexia Putellas, Mapi Leon, Ewa Pajor, Esmee Brugts and Fridolina Rolfo also getting in on the scoring act.
Linda Dallman and Pernille Harder earned Bayern Munich a 2-0 win at Juventus in Group C.
