Matildas great sets record and reveals 'secret' behind history-making Champions League feat

Australian veteran Aivi Luik made history as BK Hacken kicked off their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign with a 1-0 loss to Inter, while Kyra Cooney-Cross produced a player-of-the-match performance. Luik played the 90 minutes for Hacken, who were edged out by the Italian side on the road on Wednesday (AEST). The 41-year-old and 45-cap Matildas great, who is at her 16th club in her 10th country of a 26-year career, became the oldest group stage/league phase player. “I don’t think about my record,” she said. The secret is coffee and chocolate. ” Inter, making their competition debut, scored in the fifth minute through Haley Bugeja 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. Arsenal’s Matildas trio Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord, all started as the 2025 Champions League winners began the quest to regain their continental crown against Danish part-timers HB Koge. Cooney-Cross was named Player of the Match. The Gunners won 1-0, 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, Matildas star Mary Fowler came on after 63 minutes as Manchester City rescued a point from 2-0 down away to last season’s semi-finalists Bayern Munich. Fowler 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. By commenting, you agree to our Commenting Guidelines