Arsenal move to within three points of Chelsea after claiming a 5-1 win over Leicester City in the Barclays Women’s Super League, with the fixture moved as a result of the Gunners’ upcoming UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final.
Another five-star performance from Renée Slegers’ side saw Arsenal extend their run of fine form at home, having now scored 4+ goals in each of their past seven home fixtures in the WSL.
Two goals from Caitlin Foord sandwiched Stina Blackstenius’ smart finish from a counterattack, before second-half efforts from Kim Little and Victoria Pelova fell either side of a consolation goal from Leicester City’s Yuka Momiki.
As it happened
Arsenal controlled the game from the moment it kicked off, with the Foxes failing to impress as they were thoroughly dominated by the hosts. It took just nine minutes for Caitlin Foord to open the scoring, after turning home a pinpoint cross from Frida Maanum.
Their dominant play continued to pay dividends as less than ten minutes later, the Gunners doubled their lead when a counterattack initiated by Leah Williamson allowed Beth Mead to cross for Stina Blackstenius, who dealt the damage and shot past Janina Leitzig.
Foord completed her brace just after the half-hour mark, when her goalbound effort was deflected by Leicester City’s Julie Thibaud, whose outstretched leg gave the Australian forward her second goal of the evening.
Slegers’ side continued their goalscoring form in the second half. After a stunning 17-pass sequence, Arsenal skipper Kim Little found herself inside the box and crossed to Mead, who headed home Arsenal’s fourth goal of the evening just after the hour mark – ensuring this would become the seventh straight home league fixture in which the Gunners have scored at least four goals.
After a rare moment in the hosts’ half, Leicester were able to pull a goal back. Yuka Momiki found herself on the edge of the area and picked out the bottom right corner, scoring her third WSL goal of the campaign.
To round off an impressive evening in N5, Victoria Pelova scored Arsenal’s fifth goal. Katie McCabe stepped up to take a free-kick after a foul on Emily Fox just outside the box, threading her effort through every single player in the area, only for it to find the post. Pelova connected well with the rebound and bagged her first goal in 387 days; her first goal since returning from her ACL injury.
Arsenal’s next fixture will take place on Saturday, at the Emirates, in the UEFA Women’s Champions League where they will face European powerhouses Olympique Lyonnais. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 BST [13:30 CEST].
The lineups
ARS: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Mariona, Little; Maanum, Foord, Blackstenius
LEI: Leitzig; Bott, Howard, Thibaud, Ale; Tierney, Cayman; Cain, Momiki, Chossenotte, O’Brien
