Arsenal remain unbeaten at home in the North London Derby with a 5-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, in front of 56,784 supporters at the Emirates Stadium. The result leaves them third in the Barclays Women’s Super League, while Spurs remain sixth.
Alessia Russo forced a Clare Hunt own goal 15 minutes in and Mariona Caldentey doubled Arsenal’s lead 20 minutes later. In the second half, Frida Maanum fired home for 3-0. Russo got a goal to her own name in the 58th minute before Emily Fox fired home from range in the 90th in what was a dismal afternoon for Tottenham.
As it happened
Spurs spurned a chance early in the game when Maite Oroz fired a free-kickover the crossbar – but that was almost as good as it got for them. 15 minutes in, Russo met Kyra Cooney-Cross’ freekick in the box and her header goalwards came off an unfortunate Clare Hunt to put the Gunners ahead.
Embed from Getty ImagesSpurs gave the ball away in dangerous areas throughout the entirety of the first half and their keeper Lize Kop was kept busy. She denied both Caitlin Foord and Russo before Mariona Caldentey found what looked an inevitable second goal. The Spaniard pounced on a ball that Spurs failed to clear just inside the box and powered her effort past Kop. The visitors were lucky to only be 2-0 down at halftime.
Arsenal extended their lead just a few minutes after the restart when Caitlin Foord found Frida Maanum on her left. Maanum’s shot went in off the unfortunate Hunt again – who will have breathed a sigh of relief to see it given as a deflection rather than a second own goal. A fourth goal followed soon after, when Foord had plenty of time and space on the counter to find Russo. The Lioness tucked it into the bottom left corner, off the post to add her name to the scoresheet.
With half an hour remaining, Chloe Kelly came on for her second Arsenal debut – 2,815 days after her last game for the Gunners in 2017. Kelly replaced Foord, and Frida Maanum made way for Stina Blackstenius. One of Kelly’s first touches was a ball over the top for Russo, who cut inside but her shot deflected off the post. There was also an Emirates debut for Jenna Nighswonger later on.
Embed from Getty ImagesSpurs came close to a consolation goal late on when Olivia Holdt headed over Martha Thomas’ cross – but Arsenal weren’t done yet. In the 90th minute, Emily Fox unleashed a powerful shot for a 5th goal. Kelly almost rounded off her debut with a goal but instead hit the crossbar just before the final whistle.
A five-star performance for the Gunners – but a miserable afternoon for Spurs, with their joint-heaviest ever North London Derby defeat.
The lineups
ARS: Van Domselaar; McCabe, Catley, Williamson, Fox; Wälti, Maanum, Cooney-Cross; Caldentey, Russo, Foord
TOT: Kop; Nildén, Bartrip, Hunt, Neville; Raso, Csiki, Oroz, Vinberg; England, Naz
