The Matildas are up and running in Europe's Champions League, but only just.
Arsenal's trio of Australians, Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord, all started as the 2025 winners began the quest to regain their continental crown against Danish part-timers HB Koge.
The Gunners won, but needed an injury-time penalty from Mariona Caldentay that bank worker Alberte Vingum almost saved.
"It was a pretty crazy last five minutes but that's football," said Catley. "They defended great, we tried so many avenues to goal.
"Credit to the girls, they kept trying and Mariona was very calm in that moment."
It was reward for a lot of pressure but few real chances for Arsenal - among the better ones Foord miscued a good opportunity early in the second period from Cooney-Cross's smart pass.
In Germany, Mary Fowler came on after 63 minutes as Manchester City rescued a point from 2-0 down away to last year's semi-finalists Bayern Munich.
She replaced Bunny Shaw minutes after the Jamaican had a penalty, which would have brought City level, saved.
Manifestly outplayed for the first 40 minutes, during which Bayern scored through Giulia Gwinn and a Kerstin Casparij own-goal, City controversially halved the lead when Beth Mead scrambled in a goal while a blue flare, on the pitch, pumped smoke across it.
The English champions were much better in the second period and deserved their late leveller, from German striker Carlotta Wamser.
Veteran defender Aiva Luik played the 90 minutes as Hacken went down 1-0 to Internazionale in Italy. The 41-year-old, capped 45-times by Australia, is at her 16th club in her 10th country of a 26-year career.
Luik became the oldest group stage/league phase player at 41, according to UEFA.
"I don't think about my record," she said. "I still feel young. The secret is coffee and chocolate."
Inter, making their competition debut, scored in the fifth minute through Haley Bugej following a corner but were unable to find a second with the Swedish visitors more dangerous on the break.
"It wasn't the result we wanted, we could have equalised but we didn't and now we look forward to the next matches," added Luik.
with agencies
