FIFA Women’s Champions Cup
Arsenal 6 – 0 FAR Rabat FT
The winner of the Women’s Champions Cup will receive £1.7m in prize money [Getty Images]
Arsenal secured their spot in the first Women’s Champions Cup final with a decisive 6-0 victory over Moroccan champions AS FAR Rabat.
Led by manager Renee Slegers, Arsenal entered the tournament as Women’s Champions League winners and were clear favorites in Brentford.
After a commanding performance, they established a 4-0 lead by halftime, building on their recent victory over Chelsea in the Women’s Super League.
Although AS FAR Rabat, the African champions, displayed some moments of quality, they struggled to match Arsenal’s dominance, with the English side fielding a strong lineup despite several changes.
Key players, including Alessia Russo, Emily Fox, and Leah Williamson, were on the bench to start, but Arsenal’s squad proved more than capable.
Stina Blackstenius, who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Barcelona, opened the scoring with a header just eight minutes in.
Frida Maanum’s powerful shot quickly doubled the lead, followed by a penalty from Mariona Caldentey, and another goal from Olivia Smith before halftime.
In the second half, Slegers rotated her squad, introducing Russo, while England manager Sarina Wiegman watched from the stands. Russo added two more goals to seal the comprehensive victory.
Chloe Kelly also made her return from injury, coming on as a substitute after a lengthy recovery since December.
“First, I want to commend our opponents. It was a tough match for them, but their representation of Morocco and Africa was inspiring,” said Arsenal manager Slegers.
“I’m very pleased with our performance. The players handled the unfamiliarity of facing them well, and I’m proud of our discipline and that we had five different goal scorers.”
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AS FAR Rabat, Morocco’s first professional women’s club, has made significant investments in its team over the past decade, dominating the domestic scene with all but one league title since 2013.
After receiving a bye in the first round, they defeated Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda in extra time to advance to face Arsenal.
Buoyant from their recent performance against Chelsea, Arsenal was determined to assert their superiority quickly.
Despite previous criticism for not capitalizing on their chances, Arsenal displayed efficiency in Brentford.
They aimed to build momentum heading into a crucial match against league leaders Manchester City next.
Slegers successfully rotated her squad while resting key players Russo and Fox, allowing Arsenal to comfortably progress to the final.
Although they eased off in the second half with victory assured, Slegers utilized her bench effectively.
The £1.7m prize for the winners is a significant incentive for Arsenal, the largest in any women’s football club competition.
Winning this match would cap off their Champions League triumph in a historic manner.
“We’re thrilled. We had to earn this win, and I’m proud that we executed the basics well,” Slegers added.
“We can’t focus on the final just yet. We’ve taken a step closer to making history.”