Arsenal 5-1 Watford
By Liberty Simons 15/1/24
Above: Stina Blackstenius scores Arsenal’s third goal. Photo: Arsenal FC Twitter.
In a game that saw six Gunners on the score sheet, Arsenal beat Watford to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Both WSL’s Arsenal and Championship’s Watford were in fine voice at Meadow Park, as the two sides met in the FA Cup. The teams, who have a close connection due to their consistent partnership in loaning young Gunners out to the Championship side, were pushing for a ball in the hat of the next round. The starting XI for Arsenal was new signing Emily Fox and for Watford, the dual-registry players from Arsenal, Michelle Agyemang, Katie Reid and Laila Harbert. The home side lost their usual red and white in support of their ‘No More Red’ campaign for the first time, instead in a stark all white kit, to take a stand against youth violence and knife crime in the capital.
With a display of white papers from the home crowd to support the campaign at kick of, It didn’t take long for the home side to find the net. The scoring opened within the first 10 minutes, with Alessia Russo converting her chance. With the initial effort by Victoria Pelova saved by Jacqueline Goldsmid but then split to the feet of the number 23, true striker’s vision sees Russo punt it home. The midfielder was involved again in the second just 5 minutes later, Pelova’sawareness to allow the ball to pass through her legs from the in short corner pass between Katie Mccabe and Beth Mead on the right hand side, saw Lia Wälti able to strike it from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
The comfortable 2 goal cushion within 15 minutes saw way to a slurry of Arsenal chances, with no end product. Chances saw Russo hit the post and go wide, whilst Caitlin Foord also had some missed chances. However, the home side were combining well in the midfield and building well against Watford. The linkup play was tainted with the classic Arsenal touch, smooth and silky, but was lacking in the execution in front of goal. The lack of lethal edge continued until half time of the Arsenal, whilst Watford grew into the game. Whilst most of their creation was snuffed out with simple interceptions from Arsenal, the Championship side were building well into the game, as well as making life hard for the Gunners. Watford’s growing communication and link up play fought against Arsenal’s, with the visitors managing to keep it at 2-0 at the break.
The second half saw Watford continue to grow, pushing into the Arsenal half with real conviction for the first time in the game. The visitors was combining well and creating with the chances they were getting. Whilst this was in bursts due to the sheer dominance Arsenal had in possession, it was clear to see that Watford were playing as a team and were on the same page. The introduction of Abbie Lafayette and Sophie Mclean in the 55th minute helped frustrate the Arsenal attacking line further as Watford strengthened their defence grip. However, it was the quadruple substitute for Arsenal that finally saw them able to convert. 2 minutes after being subbed on, a pin perfect through ball from Pelova, again, found StinaBlackstenius in the box, outdoing Corinne Henson to slot it home.
The pressure from Watford saw them getting one back ten minutes later. A rushed pass from Lotte Wubben-Moy as she was being pressured in the box didn’t find the target of her teammate but instead, found Andria Georgiou who tapped it into Poppy Wilson who put it on a plate for Agyemang to convert. The childhood Gooner didn’t celebrate, but simply walked away from the goal as if it didn’t even happen. The people who did celebrate? The travelling Watford supporters who were loud in voice all game, battling against the ever present Arsenal supporters.
The final throws of action came in a three minute span where Arsenal were finally able to capitalise on the plethora of corners they had been awarded. An excellent in swinging corner from McCabe perfectly found Amanda Ilestedt who rose highest to see it comfortably past Goldsmid. 3 minutes later, Blackstenius found Leonhardsen-Maanum in space in the box, where she was able to slot it in to the bottom corner on her left foot. With some excellent saves from Goldsmid in the closing minutes, the game ended 5-1.
With excellent performances from Arsenal’s new signing Emily Fox, Victoria Pelova and Kyra Cooney-Cross in the second half, the home side progress into the next round of the FA Cup. That being said, with performances well above their age range, and the talent to go far in the game, praise must be place on the Watford (and Arsenal) youngsters, who made life hard for their parent club.
TEAMS:
ARSENAL: Manuela Zinsberger (GK), Emily Fox, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Lia Wälti, Katie McCabe (C), Caitlin Foord, Victoria Pelova, Alessia Russo, Amanda Ilestedt.
SUBSITIUES USED: Frida Maanum, Close Lacasse, StinaBlackstenius, Laia Codina, Kyra Cooney-Cross
SCORERS: Alessia Russo (7’), Lia Wälti (12’), Stina Blackstenius (66’), Ilestedt (86’), Maanum (89’)
WATFORD: Jacqueline Goldsmid (GK), Lucia Leon, Anne Meiwald, Michelle Agyemang, Andria Gerorgiou (C), Laila Harbert, Poppy Wilson, Florence Fyfe, Coral Haines, Katie Reid, Corinne Henson.
SUBSTITUES USED: Abbie Lafayette, Charlotte Fleming, Sophie Mclean, Carly Johns, Allison Palisch
SCORERS: Michelle Agyemang (77’)
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye
Attendance: 3,739
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