Arsenal beat Brighton 5-0 in Vivianne Miedema’s last game for the club at Meadow Park, as the Gunners finished the 2023/24 Barclays Women’s Super League in third place.
Alessia Russo scored a brace in the first half, putting Arsenal in firm control of the game going into half-time.
Kim Little missed a penalty straight after the break, but goals from Miedema and Frida Maanum, alongside an own goal, meant the Gunners cruised to a comfortable win.
As it happened
Brighton started better in the opening stages. They tried to force Arsenal into an early mistake, and they nearly did. Jorelyn Carabeli nicked the ball from an Arsenal player and got her shot away, but it went past the right-hand-side post.
This early pressure didn’t amount to anything, and the Gunners started to force chances. Sophie Baggaley gifted Caitlin Foord a chance as the goalkeeper passed straight to the Australian international. The striker couldn’t keep her effort down, and the chance went over the bar.
Russo then scored Arsenal’s opener in the 16th minute. Her strike from outside the box found the bottom left-hand corner. Emily Fox was found in space on the right, and her pass set up Russo for the Gunners‘ first.
Embed from Getty ImagesStraight after the goal, Brighton was unlucky not to be level after Elisabeth Terland’s effort hit the bar, and Carabali’s effort was well saved by Sabrina D’Angelo.
However, Brighton gifted the Gunners their second as Baggaley passed straight to Russo. The English striker rounded the goalkeeper and slotted it away to score her second.
Russo had a brilliant chance to score her hat trick in the 32nd minute after getting past her defender, but the striker’s effort narrowly went past Baggley’s post and out for a goal kick.
The game started to open up in the second half, and both teams had brilliant chances. Russo was put through after good build-up play, but her shot was well saved. Terland was put through for Brighton minutes later, but D’Angelo made another excellent save.
Arsenal was awarded a penalty in the 55th minute, which Steph Catley won. Kim Little stepped up to take it but hit the post, and the ball was cleared to keep the score 2-0.
Miedema came on in the 62nd minute for her last appearance for Arsenal. Minutes later, the Dutch international put the Gunners 3-0 up with a clinical finish, assisted by her partner Beth Mead.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Gunners continued their dominance and got their fourth goal after a corner was swung in, and Carabali deflected in Laia Codina’s header.
Brighton looked certain to get a consolation score, but another brilliant save from D’Angelo in her last game for Arsenal kept the score at 4-0.
Arsenal scored their final goal of the afternoon in the 88th minute. Maanum was put through on goal, and she calmly slotted her ball past Baggley to put the Gunners 5-0 up.
The lineups
ARS: D’Angelo; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Pelova, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Little, Foord; Russo
BHA: Baggaley; Pattinson, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Carabali; Olme, Losada, Robinson; Lee, Terland, Haley