Thank you for joining me for this game and Arsenal are in a good position to face Chelsea in the quarter-finals. It is not all over as these teams play again next week in the second leg but Leuven will need a perfect performance to overcome their 4-0 deficit. To catch up with all the action from this evening read the report below. We will be back tomorrow with live reporting on Atletico Madrid v Manchester United, see you then.

Leuven’s head coachArno van den Abbeel told Disney +: “You don’t want to lose, you are a bit disappointed but I have said we still have a game on Saturday. We have to accept they are a better team than us. In high performance you have to accept that this is a possibility. But I still said to them I am proud of them of [what they have done in this competition] and we should enjoy the game next week against Arsenal.”

Arsenal’s Frida Maanum, who scored two goals this evening, told Disney +: “I think the girls who came on did really well. We are good on the ball, tight on the ball and respect our opponent. I am always trying to work hard for the team, I am happy to be at Arsenal and I love playing for this club.”

Arsenal captain Kim Little told Disney + about reaching 400 appearances: “You don’t count when you are playing but I was told before I was reaching 400. I have loved every minute of those 400 games. Leah Williamson said some lovely words in the huddle to make me emotional. I have played with her a long time, she is a close friend and she spoke around how we have been playing and how we respect our opposition”.

Here’s a feature for you to have a read of while you wait for the match report from this game:

The second leg between these two teams will be played in London next Wednesday and the winner after that will play Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

90 + 2 min: Arsenal have a corner and Cooney-Cross sends it in but Wubben-Moy’s header is wide.

90 min: There will be three minutes added. Arsenal almost get a fifth but Biesmans defends well.

89 min: Arsenal win a free kick in a good position, McCabe puts in a good cross but Codina’s chance is out of play.

87 min: Despite being 4-0 down Leuven supporters are still in full voice. The club is only getting bigger and it is their first time in this competition, to get this far is impressive as it is.

85 min: Leuven win a corner and they will be itching to get on the scoreboard in this tie. The delivery is good but it is headed away.

83 min: Oh hello, can Leuven pull one back? They break and try and find Nagy but Foord peels back well to defend . Arsenal now make a change with Little on for Smith, the captain’s appearance this evening is her 400th for the club.

81 min: Smith gets a yellow card for time wasting and that booking means she will miss the next leg, a bizarre decision from the Canada international especially as her team are 4-0 up.

80 min: Neyrinck’s first bit of action sees her give away a free kick for a foul on Smith. McCabe pops it in but the delivery is not great and the hosts are able to clear.

78 min: Leuven make another change with Neyrinck on for Conijnenberg.

77 min: The question is now can Leuven take anything from this to try and get back into this tie? I don’t think so. Surely they are out already and they still have another game to play.

75 min: This is starting to feel like a training game for Arsenal. They are trying different things, taking all the time they want on the ball. Leuven just way off of the pace this evening.

73 min: Cooney-Cross is on for Caldentey.

Holmberg crossed it and Seynhaeve got a hand to it but didn’t control, the rebound falls to Russo who turns it in.

71 min: Leuven peel forward and Dekker pops it into the box but it’s easily cleared, they are rushing every attack they have and they have been their own worst enemy going forward. Arsenal are able to counter and Foord takes a chance but it’s saved.

69 min: There is a little break in play as Nagy needs to put her boot back on before an Arsenal corner is taken. It’s a good delivery and it pinballs around before Pelova takes a shot but it’s blocked.

67 min: There has been a bit of a lull in energy to this game now, Bosteels’ chance knocking Arsenal a little and Leuven unable to capitalise.

65 min: Leuven have momentum but are struggling it to turn it into something, a credit to Arsenal but it feels like it is not the night for the hosts.

63 min: My, oh my. If that went in it would have been a worldie. Bosteels gets the ball from Wubben-Moy and she absolutely thunders it towards Van Domselaar but the keeper sends it over the bar. The resulting corner is well defended.

62 min: Arsenal are really just toying with Leuven like a cat with a mouse now. They thread another rapid attack together but this time Maanum’s cross is cut out by Seynhaeve. Arsenal make a double change with Williamson and Kelly for Wubben-Moy and Russo.

60 min: Leuven make a triple change with Dekker, Nagy and De Celsterfor Reynders, Kuijpers and Hermans.

58 min: How has Maanum not scored there? Kelly pops the ball into the area, it is an absolute peach, but she can’t get the ball out from under her feet.

56 min: It looked like a corner and they set it up to be one but then the referee changed her mind, potentially Foord was offside and so the officials switched their decision? It isn’t clear but unsurprisingly it is Arsenal with the ball once again.

55 min: Leuven cheaply give it away in the midfield and Foord pops it into the area, Janssen manages to clear but concedes a corner.

Foord does so well against Janssen and Maanum is unmarked in the box. A pass between them sees a lovely finish from Maanum.

53 min: Leuven finally show up for the first time in this second half as Reynders gets in a good spot and tries to find Conijnenberg but the pass is over her head.

51 min: The Gunners keep comign and coming, their latest attack resulting in a corner. Leuven protest as they believe it is a goal kick but the corner stands. The delivery is good but Seynhaeve reads it well to collect.

49 min: Arsenal know what more goals will mean, there will be less pressure on their shoulders to get the result over the line next week and Pelova is the latest to try and extend the lead. She puts in a shot from outside the box but it is wide – not a bad attempt though.

47 min: Holmberg is straight into action as she launches an attack down the right but once again the Gunners are shoved backwards bu the hosts.

Lindsey Heaps spoke to the Guardian for the latest Moving the Goalposts newsletter, have a read here:

45 min: There will be one minute added.

44 min: Leuven win their first corner with Reynders sending a shot in and Van Domselaar clearing. They take it short but it comes to the edge of the box, they send it in but it hits McCabe and the referee blows the whistle. I think the ref thought it was a head injury when it wasn’t, then Mertens gets a yellow for dissent. So much drama but Arsenal now clear.

42 min: Wow, Smith so close to Arsenal’s third as Kelly does unbelievably well to keep a play alive. The Canada international has great control in front of goal but Seynhaeve does just enough to keep it out.

40 min: This is now a mountain for Leuven to climb. Yes they don’t only have this game, they have a reverse leg next week, but to get three goals back on this Arsenal team is a big ask.

37 min: There was a beautiful ball played forward to Hermans and she beats Codina but Williamson comes back across to wrestle her off of the ball.

36 min: Arsenal are really starting to hum as a team now, some lovely intricate play finds Maanum but her shot is wide.

34 min: Arsenal win a corner and it is McCabe who delivers the ball, Maanum gets a touch in but she can’t control and again Leuven can relieve the pressure.

33 min: I do like to play ‘cliche commentary bingo’ when watching football. So far we have had ‘this game is far from over’, are there any others I should keep an ear out for? Let me know on email. On pitch Arsenal break and Smith is in a good position but her shot is straight at the keeper.

31 min: Everaerts gets a talking to from the referee after she fouls McCabe and Arsenal get into the box from the resulting free kick. However, Leuven again defends it well.

29 min: McCabe’s corner delivery is good, it finds Williamson but her header is straight out of play.

28 min: The door keeps knocking as Arsenal continually peel forward and the latest sees them win a corner.

26 min: Fox does well down the left as Arsenal look to double their led but she is tripped by Janssen and so the visitors have a free kick. McCabe and Kelly stands over the set piece but it is the Ireland international sends it in. It’s well defended and the chance is gone.

24 min: Commentary saying that was a little too easy and I have to agree, they didn’t challenge Maanum at all which is disappointing after such strong defence so far.

21 min: Arsenal are creating more and more chances as McCabe gets it into the area, Leuven clear and start to make a break but Fox takes down Reynders and receives a yellow card.

19 min: Leuven breaks and the crowd comes to life, Conijnenberg is fed but her shot is way over the ball. Those are the threats Arsenal need to be wary of. The Gunners immediately hit back but Foord’s shot is saved.

17 min: Arsenal keep up the pressure and Fox does really well to send it into the box but it’s cleared.

16 min: Arsenal win a free kick with McCabe blocked on the way through to the final third. Kelly stands over the set piece and the delivery is straight at the keeper.

14 min: Pelova floats a fantastic ball to Foord but her pass has too much on it and Seynhaeve collects. Possession once again exchanges hands.

12 min: The Gunners get into the box but Leuven expertly smother the attack, forcing them back to the halfway line.

11 min: Arsenal win it back and are patient with their play. The Belgians are compact and are defending well so the visitors are finding it a little difficult to puncture.

9 min: Possession goes back and forth but Leuven peel forward, Janssen looks to cross in but Williamson sees it out.

7 min: Some may underestimate Leuven but they are top of the Belgian league and so they are in good form. So far they are just struggling to maintain possession and put in a meaningful attack.

6 min: Simon Yates has got in touch to settle the Jaffa Cake debate:

Amazingly this question was settled by a tax court as it was relevant to VAT. The answer is Jaffa Cakes are cakes, the reasoning being that cakes go dry when you keep them too long while biscuits go soggy. (I am not making this up.) Though personally I’ve never really had a problem with Jaffa Cakes surviving long enough to go off, one way or another…

Thank you for this Simon, it’s valuable information to have to prove to my friend that I am in fact right. Back on the pitch and Leuven are yet to put a stamp on this game.

4 min: The hosts have been forced into defence early on with a chance coming into the box but it was well cleared. The Gunners come again but Mannum’s shot is saved.

2 min: It is Leah Williamson’s third start of the season as she continues to build back from her knee injury she sustained in the summer at the Euros. Both teams settling into this one.

I would love to hear from you. I was discussing with a friend the other day if a Jaffa Cake is a cake or a biscuit, I am firmly on the cake side and she was adamant it was a biscuit. Please get in touch so we can settle the argument, you can email me to let me know your thoughts.

Catch up on our Women’s Football Weekly podcast while you wait for this match to get underway:

Suzanne Wrack spoke to Katie McCabe last month and it’s a great interview, have a read to get more of an insight into the Arsenal star:

Whoever comes out on top over the next two legs between these two will play Chelsea. The Blues have reached the semi-finals in the past three seasons but have never won the trophy.

Arsenal travelled to Leuven in December when the two clubs played one another in the group stage. The Gunners came out 3-0 winners that day, you can recap the action here:

Want to know more about the new format? Here’s a feature for you:

Here is Arsenal boss Renée Slegers on why Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead are not involved: “Stina and Beth didn’t travel. Stina still has issues with her calf and Beth needs some time to offload her shin.”

Here is that Leuven team news, the side could not play Veefkind as she is suspended.

Leuven: Seynhaeve, Everaerts, Biesmans, Mertens, Janssen, Pusztai, Hermans, Kujpers, Reynders, Conijnenberg, Bosteels.

Bench: Lammertijn, Rispens, Nagy, Papatheodorou, Van Besauw, De Ceuster, Heremans, Neyrinck, Dekker, Van Holderbeke

The team news is in. Arsenal are without Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius, more on that shortly, and despite being a few attacking players down Alessia Russo starts from the bench.

Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Codina, McCabe, Pelova, Caldentey, Maanum, Kelly, Foord, Smith

Bench: Votikova, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Catley, Holmberg, Cooney-Cross, Little, Russo.

I am just tracking down the Leuven news, bare with me.