After a winless run of 5 WSL games, Arsenal have finally returned to winning ways in the WSL, coming from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at the Toilet Bowl Arena with goals from Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo.
Renee Slegers made three changes. Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Taylor Hinds all came into the side, with Stina Blackstenius, Lotte Wubben-Moy, and Ona Batlle dropping to the bench. Olivia Smith moved into centre forward while Alessia Russo continued as the number 10, with Geraldine Reuteler once again on the bench.
Stanway played a one-two with Russo on the left side of the box and drove inside. Kop fumbled the shot, and with Smith looking to pounce, clawed it away for a corner. From the corner, the ball came to Stanway but her left footed shot was blocked.
Baum gave the ball away to Pelova who led a Spurs counter. Neither Williamson nor Fox could win the ball back, and Spurs won a corner.
From the corner, on 13 minutes, Spurs took the lead. Pelova’s delivery went into the middle of the box, Tandberg leaped above Catley and powered a header in, with Williamson, inexplicably sticking out her hand, not able to block on the line. 1-0.
Arsenal hit back four minutes later. Hinds played inside to Russo on the left hand side of the box. She pulled the ball back for Stanway, who slammed a shot past Kop, who got a hand on it but couldn’t keep it out. 1-1.
Arsenal, turning the ball over in midfield, set Pelova up for another counter but she shot well over the bar from outside the box.
After the goal, Arsenal created very little. Foord’s dinked ball for Fox was headed over on 37 minutes, with Fox unable to generate power and being too far out in the box to really trouble Kop with a header. Foord had an effort blocked on 41 minutes but that was it. Baum won a corner on 45 minutes, but Catley’s delivery was easily claimed by Kop.
The second half got underway with Arsenal looking to get Smith in, but her effort was blocked. There was then a lengthy delay, as Alice Sombath looked to have suffered a serious knee injury and had to be stretchered off.
Arsenal should’ve gone ahead in the 54th minute. Stanway played left to Foord, who cutback to Russo, whose first-time shot was palmed behind by Kop.
From the corner, a flick-on from Williamson came to Baum, whose instinctive right-footed shot bounced back off the post. Spurs cleared but the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty, as Tandberg’s clearance hit off of Morris’s outstretched arm.
Russo stepped up and slotted the penalty home as Kop went the other way. 1-2.
Williamson’s long ball was looking for Smith but was headed out to Russo on the edge of the box. She took a touch and then fired a shot straight down Kop’s throat, who saved.
Stanway was booked for kicking through Tandberg on 66 minutes.
Ona Batlle replaced Emily Fox on 71 minutes.
Williamson played the ball down the right hand side for Batlle, whose cross found Smith ahead of Koga, but Smith’s touch was heavy and bounced off her to Kop.
Élisa de Almeida replaced Steph Catley on 78 minutes.
Hanson received Morris’s pass and crossed into the center and Martinez’s effort was pushed over the bar from close range by Misa before the flag went up for offside.
Arsenal made their final two changes on 87 minutes. Stina Blackstenius and Smila Holmberg replaced Smith and Baum.
In the 96th minute, Pelova got the better of de Almeida and looked for Martinez in the middle but Cooney-Cross got across to clear, before the flag went up against Martinez again.
Stanway won a free kick, went wide to Foord who tried to win a corner but the ball went out for a goal kick. As soon as the goal kick was played, though, the referee blew for full time.