Stina Blackstenius’ goal rounded off the scoring for a dominant Arsenal side
Arsenal fuelled their chase of the Women’s Super League title as they came from behind to beat Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Jonas Eidevall’s side dominated from start to finish and should really have enjoyed a greater reward than their three second-half goals from Victoria Pelova, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Stina Blackstenius.
The Gunners’ victory keeps them six points behind the top two, Chelsea and Manchester City, with only five matches remaining.
Ebony Salmon’s first-half goal had put the hosts ahead in a match that was delayed by 45 minutes, with the visitors arriving late at the ground because of traffic disruption.
It is the second consecutive week the Gunners have made a embarrassing faux pas on their travels, with their fixture at Chelsea nine days ago also held up after their socks clashed with those worn by the home side.
But unlike that defeat, they were in control against Villa – despite the defensive lapse that allowed Adriana Leon to pick out Salmon, who guided a low effort into the bottom left corner from 10 yards.
That proved to be Villa’s only shot in the match and the hosts had to repel wave after wave of attack from the visitors, who peppered their goal with 37 efforts – the highest total by any team in a single match in the WSL this term.
Arsenal too strong for slack Villa
Carla Ward’s side – who have won just once at home this season – did not help themselves, conceding a number of chances as a result of sloppy attempts to play out from the back.
That included Arsenal’s equaliser from Pelova, who found the right corner after Alessia Russo’s effort was parried into her path by home goalkeeper Anna Leat.
Frida Maanum and Russo both hit the woodwork, while Kim Little, Wubben-Moy and Caitlin Foord all spurned excellent goalscoring opportunities as Arsenal chased a second goal.
But England centre-back Wubben-Moy headed in Russo’s cross as full-time neared, before Blackstenius rounded off the scoring two minutes later with a low drive under Leat.
It was the perfect conclusion to the encounter for Arsenal, who are back in the Midlands next Sunday as they seek to retain their Continental League Cup title when they take on Emma Hayes’ side in a repeat of last year’s final, at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux Stadium.
Line-ups
Aston Villa Women
Formation 3-4-3
21Leat
26Maritz4Patten14Turner
2Mayling8Nobbs10Dali33Pacheco
23Leon9Daly17Salmon
- 21Leat
- 26Maritz
- 4Patten
- 14Turner
- 2Mayling
- 8 Nobbs
- 10Dali
- 33PachecoSubstituted forCorsieat 64’minutes
- 23LeonSubstituted forTaylorat 90+2’minutes
- 9DalyBooked at 87mins
- 17SalmonSubstituted forMullettat 81’minutes
Substitutes
- 6Corsie
- 7Lehmann
- 11Gregory
- 13Poor
- 18Mullett
- 22Magill
- 25Taylor
- 34MacPhail
- 49Sallaway
Arsenal Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Zinsberger
2Fox6Williamson3Wubben-Moy15McCabe
10Little21Pelova
9Mead12Maanum24Lacasse
23Russo
- 1Zinsberger
- 2Fox
- 6Williamson
- 3Wubben-Moy
- 15McCabeSubstituted forCatleyat 65’minutes
- 10Little
- 21PelovaSubstituted forCooney-Crossat 81’minutesBooked at 90mins
- 9Mead
- 12MaanumSubstituted forBlacksteniusat 71’minutes
- 24LacasseSubstituted forFoordat 65’minutes
- 23Russo
Substitutes
- 7Catley
- 14D’Angelo
- 19Foord
- 25Blackstenius
- 26Wienroither
- 27Codina
- 32Cooney-Cross
- 40Williams
- 62Reid
Referee:Stacey Pearson
Attendance:10,076
Live Text
Match ends, Aston Villa Women 1, Arsenal Women 3.
Second Half ends, Aston Villa Women 1, Arsenal Women 3.
Beth Mead (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Noëlle Maritz (Aston Villa Women).
Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal Women).
Sarah Mayling (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Miri Taylor replaces Adriana Leon.
Attempt missed. Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Alessia Russo.
Rachel Daly (Aston Villa Women) is shown the yellow card.
Goal! Aston Villa Women 1, Arsenal Women 3. Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Beth Mead.
Goal! Aston Villa Women 1, Arsenal Women 2. Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal Women) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Alessia Russo with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Rachel Corsie.
Attempt blocked. Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from very close range is blocked.
Alessia Russo (Arsenal Women) hits the bar with a header from very close range. Assisted by Emily Fox with a cross.
Substitution, Arsenal Women. Kyra Cooney-Cross replaces Victoria Pelova.
Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Georgia Mullett replaces Ebony Salmon.
Attempt blocked. Steph Catley (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Victoria Pelova (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emily Fox.
Attempt saved. Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alessia Russo with a cross.
2024-03-24 22:13:53
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