Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa
Report by Aimee Logan in the press box at Meadow Park.
EXCLUSIVE photo gallery for Impetus by: Adam Johnstone.
Above: Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly looks to get away from Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy at Meadow Park yesterday. Photo: Adam Johnstone for Impetus.
Arsenal’s season ended with a defeat on their home soil against the ever-improving Aston Villa, but despite the rocky and injury-strewn season that Jonas Eidevall’s team has endured, they have secured a place in the Champions League and leave the 22/23 season with another piece of silverware – the Conti Cup – in their trophy cabinet.
After the home side’s ambition and drive in the first half, their hope of ending the season with a victory was destroyed by a goal from Rachel Daly that closed the first 45. The hosts seemed dominant in the first half of the game and dominated the possession, but just weren’t accurate enough in front of goal to trouble Hannah Hampton in the Villa goal. A cross in the seventh minute from Jodie Taylor found Stina Blackstenius in the six-yard box but her efforts didn’t break the Villa defensive line.
There was a consistent pace from both teams down either side of the pitch that was creating chances for there to be a break of either defensive line. Steph Cately was faced against young star Laura Blindkilde on the left wing and the pair were both committing to attacking and defending for their teams’ success.
Cately’s calmness and composure that she brings with the ball at her feet ultimately enhances the high technical ability she already displays, to take on defenders. Her Australian teammate, Caitlin Foord, was however missed of off today’s team sheet. With Foord herself recently sustaining an injury, her precautionary rest was at the best interest of the upcoming World Cup, in her home country, this summer.
Neither team managed to gain a secure run into the penalty area until Frida Maanum took aim and forced a save from Hannah Hampton to keep the score level 20 minutes in. The passion for the club wasn’t just shown on the pitch but off the pitch, with the fans in the stands around the stadium filled to the max with people here to support the Gunners. Fans have been a key part of Arsenal’s record-breaking season. The sell-out Emirates Stadium for the home leg of the Champions League semi-final only names one of the times that they have turned out to support their team through the winning times and the losing ones.
The first half was concluded with that strike from the Barclays WSL Player of the Season, Rachel Daly. Her signing for Carla Ward’s side at the beginning of the 22/23 campaign has been one of the biggest successes of the developing Villa team. She has been significant in every fixture and scored equivalent to the record 22 goals scored in one season in the WSL (previously set by Vivianne Miedema), to win the golden boot this season. Her drive to be in the number nine shirt for England in the World Cup this summer has been clearly shown and, with the season she has had, Daly looks to be in a great position to be filling this role.
The second half commenced as rocky as the first finished for Arsenal after they conceded a second to Alisha Lehmann in the 49th minute, taking Aston Villa 2-0 up. Arsenal lost possession more quickly and were generally more careless with their positioning and technique after half time which led to some strong blocks from the Gunners’ Canadian goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo.
The introduction of new young signing, Katherine Kuhl at half time, in replace of Blackstenius, brought some fresh legs to the field and her high skill set and ability at only 19-years-old was evident when she had possession of the ball. Despite her undeniable talent, she didn’t have a chance to display her technique in front of goal as the Aston Villa defenders held their line firmly.In the final 10 minutes, there was little sight of a successful pass into the six-yard box for either side and the teams played through the additional nine minutes added to the clock by the match officials.
Post-match saw presentations for Lotte Wubben-Moy who reached her 100th appearance for her childhood club. Jordan Nobbs, a significant player in Arsenal’s history, was awarded with a framed shirt to represent her successes and numerous appearances for the club in front of the home crowd that evidently have nothing but support and love for her as a player. Finally, to conclude the post-match presentations, Arsenal centre back Rafaelle was thanked for her commitment to Arsenal and the fans shared their last goodbye as she departs for a new endeavour next season.
Speaking with Rafaelle after the game, when asked what she was going to miss most about playing in an Arsenal shirt, she replied: “I think I am going to miss the fans and playing around such amazing players. They are going to be the thing I am going to take from this club”.
Reflecting on this season’s successes with the Continental Cup win she said: “It felt really nice, I loved it. I told them that one of my goals here was to win titles and we did; we won the Conti Cup. Even though I am leaving, I know my name is going to be on the wall with that trophy and I am really proud of it.”The Arsenal manager, Jonas Eidevall, also expressed that he was going to miss the defender being a part of his team next season: “I think she has been an incredible athlete, player but also person and she’s fitted so well into what it means to be an Arsenal player in the way that she has played the games and expressed herself. It’s a sad one that she is leaving, it’s not often that you lose players that you would like to keep. I think it’s the first time that’s happened in my two years here. It was beyond our control, but we have to wish her the very best.”
Eidevall wanted to make it clear that the score at the end of the game wasn’t a representation of the season that the Gunners have had: “It doesn’t take away from what all the players and staff have done for the whole season. They went above and beyond what anyone could have expected of them.
“With all the injuries, we’ve won a trophy, we reached a Champions League semi-final, and achieved Champions League qualification for next season, I don’t think, realistically, we could have asked for anymore”.
The injury epidemic has struck the Arsenal women harder than any other team this season. With Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema tearing their ACLs at the beginning of the season and Laura Wienroither and Leah Williamson joining the ACL injury list, nearing the end of the campaign, along with the many other injuries picked up by other players, like the captain herself Kim Little, it’s fair to say that the team has faced many setbacks.The WSL finishes after a season full of surprises and women’s football sets up for the World Cup this July and August.
This is Aimee Logan‘s debut article for Impetus. To read Aimee’s writers biography along with those of all our contributors, click on this link: https://impetusfootball.org/about-our-contributors/
Adam Johnstone’s exclusive photo gallery for Impetus from Meadow Park:
Teams: ARSENAL (3-4-2-1): D’Angelo, Maritz, Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Rafaella, Cately, Pelova, Maanum, McCabe, Taylor, Blackstenius. Substitutes used: Kuhl (for Blackstenius 45’), Queiroz Costa (for Taylor 82’).
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Hampton, Mayling, Allen, Corsie, Staniforth, Turner, Lehmann, Blindkilde, Hanson, Pacheco, Daly. Substitutes used: Magill (for Staniforth 68’), Boye-Hlorkah (for Allen 90’).
Scorers: Daly 45+2’, Lehmann 49’.Referee: Amy Fearn.
Attendance: 4,083.
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