In one week, Aston Villa have transformed from a team fearing relegation to one with frightening potential, as their third consecutive win saw them put five goals past UEFA Women’s Champions League finalists Arsenal.
Jordan Nobbs put Aston Villa ahead in the 30th minute, beating Manuela Zinsberger before Kirsty Hanson doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time, and Chastity Grant added a third just one minute into the second half.
Rachel Daly exploited space in Arsenal’s back line to score Aston Villa’s fourth in the 59th minute; but Arsenal persevered, and scored two goals in three minutes – Stina Blackstenius in the 68th and Alessia Russo in the 71st – hinting at a comeback. But in the 73rd minute, Grant found her second, cementing Villa’s impressive victory.
As it happened
After a tense 30 minutes with chances from both sides, Villa struck first. Ebony Salmon broke forward after an Arsenal corner, and sent a perfect pass to Jordan Nobbs, who sent a right-footed strike to the right of Manuela Zinsberger down the centre of the goal for the opener.
Then in the first minute of added time at the end of the first half, Missy Bo Kearns dispossessed Chloe Kelly and sent the ball forward to Kirsty Hanson, whose powerful left-footed shot from outside the box soared into the top left corner of the Arsenal net to double Villa’s lead.
The second half continued in Aston Villa’s favour, when the combination of a loose ball from Katie McCabe and Zinsberger venturing out of her goal allowed Grant to send a right-footed shot into an empty net in the 46th minute.
The hosts continued to pressure Arsenal, and in the 59th minute, Hanson threaded a ball through space in the Gunners’ defence for Daly to run onto. The former England international’s right-footed strike crashed past Zinsberger to extend Villa’s lead to a staggering four goals.
Embed from Getty ImagesArsenal increased the tempo of their attack, which soon paid off when Mariona Caldentey sent a long ball through to Blackstenius as Arsenal looked to mount a comeback.
Just three minutes later, Katie Reid – on her first start for Arsenal – sent a fantastic delivery into the box. Russo perfectly timed her run and sent a header past Sabrina D’Angelo, and that comeback looked to be well and truly on.
But two minutes after Arsenal’s second goal, give-and-go passes between Grant and Jill Baijings allowed Grant to break forward with the ball, and Zinsberger was beaten 1v1 again as Grant picked out the top corner, cementing a comfortable win for Natalia Arroyo’s side.
Today’s result will give Aston Villa hope for the upcoming season, but could have cost Arsenal any chance at the Barclays Women’s Super League title. Chelsea will only need one point from their remaining games this season to be confirmed as victors, and could therefore be crowned as champions with a draw against Manchester United later this evening.
The lineups
AVL: D’Angelo; Pacheco, Turner, Maritz; Grant, Nobbs, Taylor, Hanson; Kearns; Salmon, Daly
ARS: Zinsberger; Reid, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Cooney-Cross, Caldentey; Kelly, Pelova, Mead; Blackstenius