Women's Super League: Arsenal rally in comeback victory against top four rivals Man City

Updated: Oct 12, 2023, 03:20 pm
Arsenal picked up their third successive victory as they beat Manchester City on Sunday.
Photo by Paul Harding - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Arsenal finished the day in third place in the Women's Super League table with a 2-1 comeback victory against top four rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

The Champions League semifinalists were briefly in second, before Chelsea ran out 3-0 winners over Aston Villa to finish there behind leaders Manchester United.

WSL top-scorer Bunny Shaw put City ahead early on, but Jonas Eidevall's side rallied to complete a second-half turnaround through Frida Maanum and Katie McCabe to secure their third successive victory and leapfrog City in the league standings.

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Shaw's 16th league goal of the season saw City open the scoring within five minutes at Meadow Park. They worked an opening with neat one-touch football to get the ball into the box for Shaw to flick a header beyond Sabrina D'Angelo in the home goal.

A goal to the good, City could have stretched their advantage against a tired-looking Arsenal team who were in midweek Champions League action. But with Lauren Hemp missing two gilt-edged chances before the break, the visitors failed to find a cushion to show for their first-half dominance.

D'Angelo's earlier saves to deny both Hemp and Chloe Kelly proved to be vital after the break when the hosts came out looking revitalised and they pulled level on 62 minutes.

Noelle Maritz' whipped ball dropped for Maanum and the in-form midfielder swept the ball into the bottom corner from point-blank range.

The momentum firmly swung in Arsenal's favour and 13 minutes later they completed the turnaround through McCabe.

The Ireland international received a short corner and ran across into a more central position before unleashing an arrow towards the far corner, with Roebuck's touch only enough to push it into the top of the net.

On a 14-match unbeaten run in the league stretching back to September, City tried desperately to get back into the game with Shaw coming closest to an leveller when she forced a late fingertip save from D'Angelo.

Following on from Arsenal's example, Chelsea who had to put in a 120-minute shift against Lyon on Thursday night, continued their title charge with a confident 3-0 win away to Aston Villa.

A goal to the good just after the half hour when Jelena Cankovic bested Hannah Hampton from close range before Guro Reiten added a second before the break with a curler from the top of the box.

Involved but unable to capitalise on their chances, Villa were left no route back into the match after Sam Kerr notched her 50th WSL goal at a set piece after the break.

Everton, who beat Tottenham on a late Aggie Beever-Jones goal, weren't the only team to make a late grab for all three points with Leicester City following suit later on on Sunday thanks to Carrie Jones' 96th minute goal keeping all three points at the King Power after Charlie Wellings' strike had cancelled out Sam Tierney's opener.

Elsewhere, West Ham's winless league run stretched to seven games after their scoreless draw at home to Liverpool.

The results of the day leaving Chelsea in second, Arsenal third and City fourth, whilst at the other end of the table, Leicester City have climbed to 11th with their win, knocking Brighton into the lone relegation spot, although the Seagulls have two games in hand.