Impetus editor Ben Gilby gives his views on two of this afternoon’s clashes in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League as Arsenal clinched a huge win over Manchester City and Everton defeated Brighton & Hove Albion:
Arsenal 1–0 Manchester City
Arsenal condemned Manchester City to their first Super League defeat after a deserved victory at Meadow Park.
The home side came into the game desperate to avoid a second straight league defeat against a fellow title challenger after going down to Chelsea last time out. A buoyant City arrived at Meadow Park with Georgia Stanway back in the starting line-up, and a welcome return for Lionesses World Cup hero Ellen White on the bench, although Keira Walsh was missing after receiving a three match ban for her highly controversial sending off in the Continental Cup defeat at rivals Manchester United last weekend.
The Gunners had the vast majority of the opening quarter; dominating the midfield in particular. Vivianne Miedema had the first real chance firing a shot over the bar. Five minutes later, Jordan Nobbs found Lisa Evans on the right of the box after some delightful build-up play from van der Donk. The Scot’s powerful effort was just over Roebuck’s crossbar.
City crucially weathered the early storm and, with twenty-eight minutes gone offered their first effort on the home goal. Canadian World Cup star Janine Beckie broke through, but with support lacking was forced to go on her own and her shot was fired over. However, buoyed by this the league leaders’ Jill Scott won a firm tackle as a statement of intent before Arsenal cleared the danger.
The visitors’ defensive shape also matured as the half went on with Arsenal being forced to play across them rather than through the City defence. The only opportunity for Arsenal in this spell was presented to them by the visitors when Gemma Bonner’s attempted pass back to Roebuck on the right hand side of the box was alarmingly short, but the Lionesses keeper recovered well under pressure from Beth Mead.
Beckie had another effort for City when her cross was parried. Arsenal failed to clear properly and Demi Stokes followed up by heading wide. This failure to score was punished just seconds later as Vivienne Miedema fired home having been played through by a delightful Kim Little ball. Bonner and Houghton were slightly out of position and the Dutchwoman took advantage to score with two minutes of the half remaining. It was the only goal of the half.
Arsenal controlled the vast majority of the second half in terms of possession and territory, but City’s well organised defence held the Gunners at bay. The visitors had little to offer coming forward – largely due to a combination of Keira Walsh’s absence and Arsenal’s dominance on the ball. Georgia Stanway was largely anonymous.
Ellen White came on to make her Manchester City debut for Janine Beckie with twenty-four minutes left for her first appearance since her glorious World Cup in the summer, but she was never provided with a pass to make her mark on the occasion.
Jordan Nobbs fired an effort over as Arsenal continued to have the better of the exchanges. The final five minutes saw City offer their only sustained period of pressure. Stanway put in a number of outstanding crosses, but to no avail.
Jordan Nobbs could have put the game to bed in stoppage time when Miedema squared the ball in the middle of the area, but her shot went wide.
Arsenal’s victory saw them leapfrog Manchester City to hit the summit of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League on goals scored as the Sky Blues fell to a second defeat in a row.
ARSENAL: Manuela Zinsberger, Lisa Evans, Leah Williamson, Jen Beattie, Kate McCabe, Jordan Nobbs, Lia Walti, Kim Little, Danielle van der Donk, Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead. Subs: Katrine Veje, Emma Mitchell, Jill Roord, Louise Quinn, Leonie Maier, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (GK).
Scorer: Miedema 43.
MANCHESTER CITY: Ellie Roebuck, Matilde Veiga Santiago Fidalgo, Steph Houghton, Gemma Bonner, Demi Stokes, Tessa Wullaert, Jill Scott, Caroline Weir, Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway, Janine Beckie. Subs: Megan Campbell, Pauline Bremer, Tyler Toland, Jess Park, Lee Guem-Min, Ellen White, Karima Benameur.
Referee: Rebecca Welch.
Attendance: 2,424.
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Everton 2–0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunny Southport’s Haig Avenue was the venue for Everton to finally end a run of three consecutive defeats.
Early chance three minutes, Chloe Kelly plays Hannah Cain through, but Brighton clear. Four minutes later, the pair repeated their combination play, this time it was Kelly whose effort was saved.
Brighton’s first chance arrived on the ten minute mark when Aileen Whelan danced through the Everton midfield, and played the ball across to Maya le Tissier whose shot was wide.
Everton had the best of the opening quarter which was generally a poor period of play. Both sides being let down by the final ball. Chloe Kelly stood out head and shoulders from the rest of the players on the park.
Brighton had a great chance when Whelan’s surge was halted cynically by Maeva Clemaron. Brighton claimed the Everton player was the last defender, but only a yellow card was awarded. Danielle Bowman’s free kick was tipped over by Tinja-Riika Korpela. The resulting corner came to nothing. The longer the half went on, the more Brighton came into the game, with Hope Powell’s charges noticeably pressing higher up the pitch to try and nullify Everton’s plan of playing out from the back. However, any hope of producing any sustained pressure on the hosts was let down by ponderous build up play which allowed Everton to formulate their defensive and snuff out the danger.
The final chance of the half fell on the counter attack to Brighton with Kayleigh Green’s shot blocked by Korpela before the home side scrambled the ball away as a thoroughly scrappy first half ended 0-0.
First chance of the second half came after fifty-one minutes when Megan Walsh in the Brighton goal did well to rush out to narrow the angle for Simone Magill who was clean through, and won the battle as the shot went wide.
Chloe Kelly’s huge talent was finally rewarded with her fourth goal of the season after fifty-seven minutes. A jinking move which saw her link up with Cain and Magill before curling a shot into the bottom right hand corner. Much more of this and it is surely only a matter of time before the 21 year-old earns a second England cap.
Everton could have doubled their lead when a pacey counterattack saw Inessa Kaagman’s effort turned away for a corner. From the flag kick, Esme Morgan thundered a header in for 2-0 after sixty-seven minutes.
Ini-Abasi Umotong had two great chances in the final ten minutes to get the Seagulls back into the game. The first was headed high and wide from in front of goal, and the second, from her bursting run through saw a disappointing shot go wide. Kayleigh Green was a threat throughout for Brighton, but her team’s laboured build-up play ensured her presence could not deliver the goals that, with more pace and positivity could have materialised. This was a game that the visitors could have got something out of, but in the end it was a fourth straight defeat for the Sussex side – a run which will only come to an end when they become more potent in front of goal and Everton will be delighted with the win.
EVERTON: Tinja-Riika Korpela, Esme Morgan, Kika van Es, Gabrielle George, Danielle Turner, Maeva Clemaron, Lucy Graham, Hannah Cain, Inessa Kaagman, Chloe Kelly, Simone Magill. Subs: Kirstie Levell (GK), Taylor Hinds, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, Elise Hughes, Abbey-Leigh Stringer, Molly Pike, Megan Finnigan.
Scorers: Kelly 57, Morgan 67.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION: Megan Walsh, Matilde Lundorf Skovsen, Danique Kerkdijk, Victoria Williams, Felicity Gibbons, Danielle Bowman, Maya le Tissier, Ellie Brazil, Lea Le Garrec, Aileen Whelan, Kayleigh Green. Subs: Bethan Roe, Kirsty Barton, Ini-Abasi Umotong, Kate Natkiel, Amanda Nilden, Sophie Harris (GK), Emily Simpkins.
Referee: Jane Simms.
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