Super Falcons and Barcelona ladies striker Asisat Oshoala showed no mercy for her former Club Arsenal Tuesday night in the new look Champions league opener. Oshoala and her Barcelona teammates were all out from the first blast of the whistle to torment their opponents as they fired 37 shots on Arsenal’s goal in the game, with Arsenal’s Manuela Zinsberger making 10 saves on a humbling night for the Gunners, though with a much-improved second-half display
Barcelona were utterly in control in the first half, taking the lead through Mariona Caldentey’s rebounded finish before Alexia Putellas turned home Asisat Oshoala’s cut-back
Against her old club, Oshoala slipped Barca 3-0 ahead early in the second half in the 47th minute just few minutes after providing assist for the second goal before Arsenal found some rhythm and grabbed a goal back through Frida Leonhardsen Maanum, bundling home at the back post .
Sub Lieke Martens made it 4-1 with a deft finish late on , while Putellas saw a stoppage-time penalty saved by Manuela Zinsberger after Jordan Nobbs’ foul on her in the area.
Barca proved why they were European champions and favourites to retain their crown this year in a dominant first-half display, registering 19 shots on goal to Arsenal’s none.
They were camped in Arsenal’s defensive third for almost the entire half, going close through Caldentey and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, who both forced good saves from Zinsberger.
READ ALSO Oshoala’s Barca launch defence of new-look Women’s UCL
But the hosts had to wait until just after the half-hour mark to take the lead through Caldentey, who pounced after Zinsberger had stopped Oshoala’s effort from the edge of the box, composing herself before slotting home.
