Growing up, Caitlin Foord’s mother would drive her on four-hour round trips upwards of five times a week to take her to training and matches. For five years, the pair would go from Shellharbour to Sydney to help make her dream of becoming a professional footballer a reality. It’s nights like tonight which made it all worth it.
The Australia international emerged from the bench just after the hour mark with Arsenal a goal up in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™ decider against Corinthians. Foord struck the post as the Gunners pushed for a settling strike, but instead were sucker-punched by a last-gasp penalty. Undeterred, the Londoners went again in extra time, with fellow substitute Frida Maanum releasing the winger to net the decisive goal in the 104th minute and send Arsenal Stadium into delirium.
“It feels good!” Foord told FIFA at full-time. “[Even] just to get on the score-sheet in general. As a forward, that’s your job, but to do it in a moment like this is special.
“I just wanted to do my role for the team, and obviously that was that tonight. To score a match-winner is a real nice moment, it’s one I’ll cherish for sure. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet [becoming intercontinental champions], but it’s nice to write our names in the history books.”
Arsenal started quickly and took the lead after 15 minutes when Olivia Smith lashed home. Corinthians quickly levelled matters through Gabi Zanotti, only to fall behind again just before the hour to a Lotte Wubben-Moy header. That looked to be the decider until Corinthians were handed their 97th-minute spot-kick. It’s a game Gunners coach Renee Slegers felt like her side had to win twice.
“All my respect to the opposition, because it was a really hard game that had to go to 120 minutes” Slegers admitted following the match. “If you look at how the game started, I think we were good on the ball. They are happy to be in a low [block], and that’s what we expected, but we always knew that they were going to be dangerous and that they are really, really good at defending their area.
“It was a really hard game for us tonight for two reasons: because of ourselves, I think we could have killed the game earlier by taking chances and creating better spaces, but at the same time a lot of credit [goes] to the opposition for closing those spaces.”
Slegers rotated her side across the two matches, but was without injured captain Leah Williamson for both the semi-final and final. Kim Little wore the armband in her absence, and the Arsenal legend led by example with a Visa Player of the Match performance.
“It’s incredible and [I’m] super-proud of the team getting the win today,” she said. “It’s great to lift the trophy with the team, and it’s obviously incredible to be here at our stadium to lift it with Leah [Williamson]. It was so special to win the Champions League, and this is kind of an addition to that, so that feels quite nice.”
Foord and Maanum were joined off the bench by electric winger Chloe Kelly, who was delighted with the trail Arsenal continue to blaze across the women’s game.
“We’re a special team, it was great fight from us tonight,” she said. “Corinthians are a great team, so we had to test ourselves. It was a tough game to play in, a battle.
“Coming off the bench [you’re] trying to get up with the rhythm of the play, but it was a good game to play in. It’s unbelievable from the team, a whole squad effort. It takes all of us to get the job done. We’re creating more history for Arsenal Football Club.”
