Alessia Russo wrote herself into the history books once more as she became the highest English goalscorer in the Women's Champions League. Her hat-trick gave Arsenal a vital 3-0 win against Benfica to send the Gunners up to second in the league phase table.
"I'm so happy. I think we've found a nice dynamic as well with the last two games," Russo's manager, Renée Slegers, said. "She's one of the leaders and she does it her way. She cares for everyone around her and connects well with her teammates. She leads the way as a role model, doing the right things consistently."
It was a statement performance from the 27-year-old who has shaken off the early-season cobwebs. Her three goals at Meadow Park on Wednesday took her tally up to 10 in her past seven appearances for club and country, hitting a rich vein of form just when Arsenal have needed her most.
It is safe to say Arsenal's season has yet to fully burst into life. Struggles in front of goal and unforced errors have defined the opening two months but the gritty north London derby win on Saturday did feel like it could be a springboard for momentum.
There was no less pressure coming into this Champions League match against Benfica, another must-win game with Arsenal's European form mirroring their domestic struggles. A last-ditch win against HB Køge and a heartbreaking draw against Paris FC (in which they surrendered a two‑goal lead) left them fifth in the league phase table before kick-off, with Barcelona and OL Lyonnes looming.
Slegers made three changes to freshen things up. Ona Batlle returned to her more natural right‑back role while the summer signings Élisa De Almeida and Géraldine Reuteler made their full debuts.
Ivan Baptista's Benfica arrived in confident form on the back of consecutive wins domestically. Slegers was keen to highlight their strong identity pre-match, having had first‑hand experience of their resilience in last year's league phase. So it proved once more in a first half in which Arsenal dominated, but struggled to break through against a well-structured opposition.
It was the visitors, in fact, who had the best opportunity of the first half hour. Frøya Dorsin was left beating the turf in frustration after spurning a glorious opportunity to catch out a stranded Misa Rodríguez with a lob. It was a moment that jolted Arsenal into life as they upped the tempo and began to rain pressure on Benfica's goal. First Olivia Smith set up Russo for a low shot that went narrowly wide before Smith herself forced Lena Pauels into a fine save.
Arsenal found their breakthrough just before half-time when Russo produced a sublime finish after a well‑worked move down the left.
It was like a switch had flipped for Arsenal after the break as they exuded confidence, zipping the ball around the turf with increasing ease. Smith looked more and more comfortable in her central role while Caitlin Foord came alive down the left, the latter denied a clear shot by a superb last-ditch challenge.
The conductor behind them all was Russo as she pressed and stretched the play to her tune. The captain on the night was at the heart of things once more as the hosts doubled their lead, rising high to glance home a corner. She completed her hat-trick shortly afterwards, converting from the spot after Foord was brought down by Catarina Amado.
It was a finish that marked the 200th goal of Slegers's tenure and one that further eases the pressure on the head coach. With every minute that passed the hosts looked increasingly like themselves and could have added more to their tally.
"It looks like there is something off our shoulders," Slegers said. "We were playing like us tonight and I am so happy. The players enjoyed themselves – they connected, they expressed themselves and they played with intensity. We backed the last performance up. We need to do it again at the weekend."
There will no doubt be sterner tests to come in Europe, more immediately away to Barcelona in a fortnight's time, but this was a victory that signified something more important than just climbing up the Champions League table.