Arsenal came from behind for the second time in two games to move top of the Women’s Super League. This time it was an own goal from goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar that put them in trouble, before strikes by Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord and two from Alessia Russo ensured the European champions maintained a 100% start to the season.
It is early in the new campaign but in a 12-team league every point matters and for a side desperate to stop Chelsea from winning a seventh consecutive title, dropping points so soon into the campaign would be bruising. This is a new Arsenal though, one fuelled by a fire lit by their phenomenal defeat of Barcelona in the Champions League final in May. They know they can beat the best, now they have to prove they can beat the best, the worst and those in between consistently.
The bubble machines that welcomed the players struggled to send their customary flurry across the pitch at Victoria Road, the downpour so torrential that they just became a bit of a mist.
But there was no bursting the bubble of the Hammers fans when their team took a shock lead after five minutes, Shekiera Martinez’s teasing ball towards the back post slipping through the hands of Van Domselaar and coming back off the post on to her head and in. It was weird, and unfortunate, but the goalkeeper should have reckoned with the ball being as slick as it was.
Having had to come from a goal down against London City Lionesses on the opening weekend of the WSL season, when Kosovare Asllani converted from the spot after she was brought down by Katie Reid, there was a feeling of deja vu. Did Arsenal enjoy having their backs against the wall? Probably not, but there is something to be said for the grit and togetherness created by such situations.
Arsenal were dominant in front of an away crowd to rival the home contingent. They had 62% possession in the first half, the wet pitch favouring their slick passing game, and in the 21st minute were deservedly level. It was nice work from Russo on the left to hold on to the ball and find Beth Mead, who delivered her third assist of the season, slipping the ball through the legs of Finland’s Oona Siren to Maanum, who turned in past Megan Walsh.
It was a goal that was a testament to Arsenal’s depth, Maanum one of three changes to the team that saw off London City with a 4-1 win last Saturday, with Victoria Pelova, Olivia Smith and Chloe Kelly making way for the Norwegian, Mead and Caitlin Foord. The manager, Renée Slegers, confirmed Kelly’s absence from the matchday squad was due to a knock. Meanwhile, for West Ham, Walsh was in goal in place of Kinga Szemik and Seraina Piubel was replaced by Amber Tysiak.
This could have been a banana skin for Arsenal, despite their impressive record against the Hammers, with 11 wins from 13 games against their London rivals. However, the hosts’ only win against them came in February, delivering a critical blow to the north London side’s title hopes, with Rehanne Skinner’s side proving tricky to play against.
It was hardly a thriller, but once the rain stopped, play improved and it was the half-time substitution of Maanum for Champions League final goalscorer Blackstenius that helped Arsenal break the deadlock, Russo’s backheel rifled into the far corner by the Sweden forward.
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Just past the hour, Foord lifted the pressure, heading powerfully between the raised arms of Walsh from Mariona Caldentey’s ball after a short corner from Katie McCabe.
West Ham were overrun, the team failing to register a single shot on target and producing six touches in the opposition box to Arsenal’s 30. Ultimately, their season will not be defined by results against the top four, but having troubled those teams last season, with draws earned against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, and Arsenal needing to come from behind against the Hammers to secure a 4-3 win in March, there will be disappointment that they weren’t able to do more.
Russo put the cherry on top with two goals in three minutes late on. First, substitute Smith set her up to lash into the top corner from the edge of the box. Then Smith was brought down on a tricky run into the area and up stepped Russo to convert the penalty. It was clinical and efficient, if at times not very pretty, and the Arsenal fans sang: “We know you don’t believe us, we know you don’t believe us, we know you don’t believe us, we’re going to win the league.”
