'Not ideal' - Alessia Russo laments late Arsenal collapse as Leah Williamson handball blunder gifts Paris FC a draw

Victory slipped through the north London outfit's fingers after a catastrophic defensive mix-up wiped out their two-goal lead on the European stage. Russo's first goal of the season, alongside a composed strike from Georgia Stanway, had put the visitors in total control before Clara Mateo halved the deficit. Disaster struck when Williamson caught a pass from goalkeeper Misa that the referee deemed live in play, gifting Maeline Mendy the chance to convert from the penalty spot.

The England international made no attempt to conceal her disappointment after the Gunners squandered all three points by losing control of the contest after the break.

Reflecting on the frustrating draw, Russo told Arsenal's official media channels: "I mean, not ideal. I think we lost control of the second half a little way before [the penalty] anyway. So, it's about managing the game a little bit better. I also think the first half, and throughout the game, we had some really, really good spells, so now it's about using that to push forward."

The result also set an unwanted record for the Gunners, who have now failed to win from two or more goals ahead in the Champions League twice since the beginning of last season.

Despite the bitter deflation of the final whistle in France, Arsenal could at least take heart from their star striker ending her personal goal drought. Reflecting on opening her account following five scoreless appearances, Russo explained: "I always want to try and score and create, and yeah, it was about finding the half the yard to get a shot off, so I'm happy to do that."

Highlighting the collective graft behind the scenes, she added: "I think maybe [it's] an area we've been not confident in the last few games, but I see it every day in training, the quality that we have. I didn't think it was going to take us long. I think that it was nice to see that, but also just credit to all of us, the staff. We've been working really hard behind the scenes, really pushing, and we'll continue to do that."

Arsenal must quickly move on from that bizarre blunder as a demanding domestic challenge awaits this weekend. Renee Slegers' side are scheduled to visit title rivals Manchester City in their fifth Women's Super League outing on Sunday, October 4. That blockbuster fixture represents a vital test of their collective character and defensive discipline following such a deflating setback in Europe.