Olivia Smith: Arsenal Overcome London City in WSL Comeback

Smith scoring for Arsenal? It just feels right. There was a standing ovation for the women’s game first £1m signingOlivia Smith, on 61 minutes as she exited after a phenomenal debut goal in Arsenal’s defeat of London City.

Smith is a different profile of forward to the legendary Kelly Smith, who is now part of the Gunners’ coaching staff, but at a club that lives and breathes its rich women’s football history it felt like a moment.

The 21-year-old delighted a crowd of 38,142 with her directness, speed and trickery causing problems throughout. Her goal, a wonderfully whipped strike from outside the box after she had evaded María Pérez, to cancel out Kosovare Asllani’s opener, was the highlight, before goals from Chloe Kelly, Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum finished the job. A volley which flashed past a post from Alessia Russo’s lofted pass, a header wide and an effort which forced a smart save from the goalkeeper Elene Lete showed Smith has settled into the side very quickly after joining early in the transfer window from Liverpool.

“It’s very special,” said the manager Renée Slegers on Smith’s goal. “It was a fantastic individual action, a lot of players had good individual actions but of course people come to the stands to watch good goals.”

Arsenal is a club that has mastered the art of building a committed fanbase for its women’s team and on a warm Saturday lunchtime fans snaked towards the stadium in a show of strength, 17,000 season tickets (a mixture of full season and six-game bundles) sold before their 2025-26 opener. Between tiers in the stadium is a new significant feature in the team’s full-time WSL home, their record-breaking trophy haul displayed alongside the years each was won, the men’s to the left, the women’s to the right of the date. The video on social media released before the game showed players from the men’s and women’s teams alongside the supporters’ club embarking on the women-isation of the stadium. True integration is in the details.

There is an almost visible spring in the step of Arsenal this season, the weight of Chelsea’s domestic dominance cut across by a stunning Champions League final win over Barcelona to give them a second European title.

The party was almost pooped by a team that represented a real early banana skin. London City were a complete unknown, 16 new signings contributing six to the starting XI and they shocked the bumper crowd by opening the scoring. It was a cruel goal to concede for the Gunners, 18-year-old Katie Reid culpable for conceding the penalty after starting ahead of both Lotte Wubben-Moy and Laia Codina with Leah Williamson absent. The WSL2 2024-25 top scorer Isobel Goodwin was dispossessed well by Reid but then she lunged in late on Asllani as she sought to pick up the loose ball. The Sweden midfielder converted from the spot, sneaking it past Daphne van Domselaar.

“We have the capacity to adapt to the WSL,” said London City’s manager Jocelyn Prêcheur. “Fortunately, we recruited some players who know what this intensity is. Now we just need to create a team. I have a job to do to create cohesion.”

The equaliser came via Smith’s stunning strike before Arsenal took the lead in added time at the end of the first half. Elena Linari’s pass was intercepted by Emily Fox who fed Russo and the England forward turned it across the face of goal for Kelly to tap in.

Blackstenius added a third, converting from fellow substitute Beth Mead’s ball and a minute later it was four, those two combining before Mead crossed for Maanum to nod in.

It was not a game where you can draw any real conclusions about how London City will do in their maiden WSL season but it showed them and watching billionaire owner Michele Kang just what can be achieved. Founded in 1987, the Gunners have a 36-year head start on London City, Kang having bought the club in 2023. Money cannot buy history, but it can kickstart a journey. Arsenal, meanwhile, kept pace with Chelsea on the opening day. It’s a long season, but it’s a start.

Header image: [Photograph: Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC/Getty Images]