90 min Two minues of added time.

86 min The match is petering out. Arsenal have some tough games to come – Barcelona, Lyon, Inter – but this puts them in a good position to qualify for the knockout rounds.

82 min I think this will be the first time Arsenal have won consecutive games in 2026-27.

76 min Pauels makes another good save, pushing away a fierce snapshot from Olivia Smith.

75 min Arsenal lost a 2-0 lead against Paris FC in their last Champions League game. This lead feels a lot more secure.

71 min: Arsenal substitutions Kim Little, Leah Williamson and Emily Fox replace Taylor Hinds, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Elisa De Almeida.

70 min “I guess every game, for every team – when things aren’t going well, and frustration is growing – will have a moment or two when the fans sit back, breathe out, and offer up a prayer of thanks,” says Charles Antaki. “In too many games for it to be healthy, Arsenal relies on just one person. So once again: thank heavens for Alessia Russo.”

69 min And now Arsenal almost make it 3-0. Reuteler walks round the keeper Pauels and has a shot cleared off the line.

68 min Benfica almost get one back with a nice strike from the substitute Norton that is pushed round by Rodriguez.

66 min Pauels makes another save, this time to claw Smith’s deflected shot round the near post.

65 min Hinds pings a long-range shot that is comfortably saved.

64 min: Benfica substitution Sabastine and the teenage star Carolina Tristao replace Alves and Csiki

63 min Russo shoots straight at Pauels from 10 yards, a great chance to make it 2-0.

63 min As well as being the name of a cracking Neil Finn album, one-nil is an awkward lead. Arsenal are on top but won’t feel truly comfortable unless they get a second.

59 min Smith’s cross is headed over at the near post by Russo. She thought it hit the head of Gomes but the referee gave a goalkick.

58 min Pauels makes a fine close-range stop from Foord, though it wouldn’t have counted as she was offside.

56 min Batlle’s deep cross from the right is headed back into the six-yard box by Foord. It’s just behind Russo and Benfica force the ball clear.

54 min Lyon are 2-0 up at home to Inter in tonight’s other game. Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored both goals in the first half.

51 min Arsenal have made a strong start to the second half and look of a mind to wrap this up sooner rather than later.

48 min Amado makes a goal-saving challenge on Foord, who looked set to score after controlling a beautiful pass from Cooney-Cross.

46 min Back underway at Meadow Park. Benfica have brought on Andreia Norton for Pauleta.

45 min Two minutes of added fun.

45 min Pauels makes another decent save, diving low to her left to push Russo’s long-range shot round the post.

41 min That was Russo’s 21st goal in the WCL, which equals Fran Kirby’s record for an England player.

Arsenal worked the ball down the left, with Catley and Hinds involved at the start. Foord flicked a clever pass round the corner to Russo, who cracked a low shot into the far corner from 15 yards. A ruthless finish from a quite brilliant player.

33 min Batlle skips down the right and crosses towards Smith, who watches the bounce and hits a good shot that is pushed round the near post by the diving Pauels. Excellent stop.

32 min At the other end, Russo drives wide from 16 yards after good play by Smith.

26 min Stanway hits a really good shot from just outside the area that is pushed round by the diving Pauels. Good save.

25 min Moller chops neatly past an Arsenal player and finds Csiki, whose long-range shot dribbles through to Rodriguez.

25 min It’s all a bit cagey. Arsenal have played reasonably well without really threatening to score.

21 min Benfica win their first corner of the game. Bratberg Lund’s inswinger is headed away well by De Almeida.

19 min Nice play from Arsenal. Stanway scoops a pass over the top towards Batlle, who turns a defender and slides a precise low cross back towards Smith. Her first-time shot is blocked.

16 min Smith’s driven free-kick from the right reaches Russo, whose shot on the turn is blocked.

13 min Arsenal have been the better team without threatening to overwhelm Benfica. Long way to go, etc.

10 min A terrific cross from Reuteler on the right is thrashed behind for an Arsenal corner. Not sure who the defender was but they could easily have done an OG.

7 min Another long-range shot from Smith, who has started in a central position, is easily saved by Pauels.

5 min A pretty quiet start to the game, on the field anyway. The small crowd at Meadow Park are making plenty of noise.

2 min Olivia Smith drives a low shot from 20 yards that is comfortably saved by Lena Pauels.

I forgot to say that Benfica are without their excellent Brazilian striker Nycole Raysla because of injury.

1 min Benfica, in white, kick off from right to left as we watch.

The players are ready for action on a crisp, chilly night at Meadow Park. Let’s play!

“Time was, the despondent Arsenal fan could turn away from a poor showing by the men’s team to see something inspiring by the women; serial winners, of course, under the inimitable Vic Akers,” writes Charles Antaki. “But that was then. Now, faced with trying to get over with a night of embarrassment and chagrin – a hopeless, shaming farrago by the men – watching the women’s team isn’t quite the surefire refreshment it once was. In fact, they’ve been deeply disappointing in all their games this season so far. Inspiration needed all round. Call up Vic. Get him to pull his shorts on and step out onto the technical area. Make it yesterday once more.”

You’re two of my favourite MBMers, but I think I’m in Camp Kári on this. Great managers have wobbles, something I wish I knew when I wrote the most moronic piece of my life 20 years ago.

“I was stunned when I read that Renée Slegers was under pressure,” writes Kári Tulinius. “It’s only just over a year since the greatest triumph in the club’s history, not only winning the Champions League, but beating that Barcelona side. Yes, Arsenal have started horribly, but I think Slegers has shown she’s a great coach.”

“Don’t forget Servette!” writes Jez Smith. “We are at Servette, where we saw our team put in a commanding performance to beat Leuven 5-1. We are, at least briefly, be above the likes of Manchester City. Which feels incredible after our first two defeats in the campaign.”

Ellie Carpenter has put Chelsea 1-0 up at home to Roma, and Momoko Tanikawa has scored Bayern Munich’s second equaliser at home to Real Madrid. Yep.

The half-time scores in tonight’s early games

• Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid

• Chelsea 0-0 Roma

• Servette 3-0 OH Leuven