Arsenal Women made light work of Rangers Women in their opening Champions League qualifier with a 6-0 thrashing at Borehamwood.
Jonas Eidevall's side, taking part in their first competitive match of the season, ran riot against their Scottish foes on home turf, where Caitlin Foord netted four goals while Kim Little and Alessia Russo also got in on the act.
Seeking to banish the demons of last year's harrowing qualifying exit to Paris FC, Arsenal swarmed over a beleaguered Rangers from the off but went into half time only one goal to the good thanks to Foord's back-post header.
Eidevall's side wasted no time in asserting their dominance in the second half, though, as Foord curled in her second of the match just shy of the hour mark, one minute before a deflected Russo drive found the top corner.
Foord completed her hat-trick in the 69th minute, meeting Katie McCabe's cross to the back stick and firing in a sweetly-struck volley, before captain Little coolly slotted home from the penalty spot.
The Gunners would end up slaughtering their Scottish foes by six goals thanks to Foord's fourth of the match in added time, as the Australian forward managed to poke home following a goalmouth scramble.
What next for Arsenal after Rangers victory?
© Imago
Arsenal's 6-0 pummelling was just the first step towards Champions League qualification, as the Gunners now prepare to meet Norwegian outfit Rosenborg in the final of their first round league path mini-tournament.
Eidevall's team have just two days to rest before taking on the Scandinavians on home soil on Saturday evening, and should they win that battle, they will enter the second round of Champions League qualifying.
Twenty-four teams - 14 in the champions path and 10 in the league path, including Manchester City and Real Madrid - will take part in round two, the draw for which will be held on Monday, September 9.
Seven champions path victors and five league path winners will then advance to the 16-team group stage, which already houses Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
Arsenal have another two-and-a-half weeks to prepare for the 2024-25 Women's Super League season, which for the Gunners begins at home to Man City on September 22.
Ben Knapton
