When Arsenal Women FC headed into their FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2026™ semi-final with ASFAR on Wednesday night, one glaring issue hung above the Gunners’ heads: their clinical edge.
The Londoners had reigned some 92 shots on goal over their previous five matches, but scored just six times. Those missed chances saw them lose ground in the Women’s Super League title race after a goalless draw with ten-player Manchester United, before the same opposition dumped them out of the Women’s League Cup after drawing another blank.
Arsenal promptly set the record straight at Brentford Stadium. They were a goal up after just eight minutes, and had doubled their lead by the 12th. Two more first-half goals and a pair from Alessia Russo in the second half saw the Gunners equal their scoring tally from the previous five matches, with five different players finding the net.
Their reward for that goal-fest is a final bout with Brazilian powerhouses SC Corinthians at Arsenal Stadium on Sunday. Steph Catley believes it was the perfect time for the side to reclaim their scoring mojo.
“It was a good moment for us to score freely the way that we did,” she told FIFA. “I think it’s been, at times, a tough month and a bit where we’ve played some really, really good football and often dominated the games that we’ve played, and maybe just not converted on the score sheet as much as we probably should have.
“That’s something we’ve really been working on at training and speaking about, analysing ourselves and where we can be better inside the box and helping each other out to maybe get ourselves into better opportunities to score goals. The other night it was just free-flowing football, everyone was on the same page and were able to really convert our chances. We had subs coming off the bench doing amazing things and good energy among the squad. So, going into a final, it’s always nice to be able to look back at those goals and know that we’re capable.
“One of our super strengths as a team is we’ve got so much depth in just about every position. Everybody’s very dedicated to knowing every single game plan at every single moment, so that if they have to step in and play, then they’re absolutely ready to give 100 per cent and know exactly what the team needs from them. We’ve just got class players throughout the entire squad. You feel that in training, but then I suppose when there’s changes to the line-up, you never really feel too much of the difference. Everyone just comes in and plays their role and does whatever they need to for the team.”
The Gunners will have to bring all of their firepower if they hope to topple a Corinthians team whose staunch defending and counter-attacking football saw them get by Gotham last time out. The Brazilians will be backed ferociously from the stands.
“The main thing that I took from watching the game before our game was their fans. They’re incredible,” she admitted. “I think the way the players connect with them reminds me a lot of how we connect with our fans and the way they are about our team; how passionate they are, how loud they are, invested in every single moment that happens on the pitch. I think it’ll be an intense battle, but I think the atmosphere that both sets of fans can create can really make the occasion really, really special.”
Not only is this final bout different to what both sets of players and fans are used to, but it’s also historic. The chance to be the tournament’s first-ever winners isn’t lost on Catley.
“I think that’s something very special,” the Australia international continued. “It’s a massive opportunity for us as players, for the club in general, to get our names etched in history as the first team to win this prestigious trophy. Obviously, it’s the first time for fans and everyone watching, this sort of thing happen in the female game, so it’s a step forward for everyone and hopefully an amazing occasion.
“The fact that it’s here in London and us, as this Arsenal team, have this opportunity to compete for the first trophy is very special, and we’ll be doing everything we can to win on Sunday.”
