Vivianne Miedema: Arsenal face anxious wait over full extent of injury
Netherlands international Miedema could be facing a lengthy lay-off
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall admits the club face an anxious wait to determine the full extent of Vivianne Miedema’s injury, which overshadowed securing qualification for the knockout stage of the Women’s Champions League.
Netherlands international Miedema – who had recently returned to action after being granted some time off to recharge – went down under no contact at the end of the first half against Lyon at the Emirates Stadium, and was in tears as she was carried off on a stretcher following lengthy treatment.
The Gunners were eventually beaten 1-0 by Lyon through an own goal by Frida Maanum which came shortly before the interval and ahead of Miedema’s injury.
Arsenal, though, progress from Group C ahead of the final round of matches as they have a better head-to-head record than second-placed Lyon, who are two points ahead of Juventus, their next opponents.
Eidevall revealed his concern over the possibility of losing another player to a serious injury setback, with England forward Beth Mead a long-term absentee because of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
“I don’t know yet, I haven’t spoken to her or the doctors. Right now it takes a lot of my thoughts, I am very concerned over it of course,” the Arsenal manager told a press conference.
“But we had to stay focused during the game and focus on our performance. I am sorry, I don’t have any update.”
Eidevall added: “After the game we are concerned, but we are super professional, we don’t let anything take out focus from what we are doing.
“The players stick to what we need to do on the pitch, after we are concerned, during we are 100 per cent professional with what we need to do.”
Arsenal improved after the restart, with England captain Leah Williamson pushing up into a midfield role to fill in for Miedema.
However, there was no way past a resolute Lyon defence, with Lina Hurtig and Stina Blackstenius both denied from a scramble in the six-yard box following a late corner.
“It was an even game, we could have drawn or either side win by a goal,” Eidevall said. “From a performance perspective I am happy, but from a result performance I am disappointed.
“That (qualifying for the quarter-finals) is what is important. Now we go to Zurich, and (try to) win and be number one in the group.”
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