Report: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (inc. goals)
Arsenal: Misa; Fox, Williamson, Catley, Batlle; Stanway, Mariona; Baum, Russo, Smith; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Borbe, Wubben-Moy, Foord, Little, Reuteler, Kelly, Cerci, Holmberg, Cooney-Cross
Arsenal’s chances of winning the WSL are almost gone after drawing 1-1 with Manchester United After dropping points last week against Crystal Palace and with fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester City in the next two weeks, the Gunners needed a big response. They got anything but that, and now have 5 points from their first 3 games, and just two goals, the first scored in the 10th minute of the first game of the season, and the second scored in the 95th minute of the game today.
Renée Slegers made three changes to the team that drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace. Olivia Smith and Steph Catley returned to the lineup, while Alessia Russo dropped into the #10, with Stina Blackstenius coming in to start. Kyra Cooney-Cross, Lotte Wubben-Moy, and Chloe Kelly dropped to the bench.
On 10 minutes Baum pressed Jess Park off the ball and drove through the centre. Le Tissier forced her wide, and with no support, Baum shot but the shot lacked power and Tullis-Joyce saved easily.
Catley’s smart pass found Baum between the lines and she found Batlle on the overlap, whose cutback was put out behind for a corner.
Manchester United had two good chances to take the lead on 21 minutes. First, Terland’s shot was parried wide by Misa. United worked the ball back into the box with a cross, Terland found space but her shot into the ground bounced nicely up for Misa, who pushed it away.
Smith kept testing the United defence, getting past Sandberg with ease before playing a cutback into the box, but United were able to get bodies between the ball and the goal.
Mariona went close on 27 minutes. Smith, playing wide, found Fox on the underlap. She played back to Russo, who checked back for Mariona, who placed a shot onto the roof of the net.
On 38 minutes, Stanway’s low free kick from the right came all the way through to Williamson, who reacted quickly to shoot, but her shot lacked power and was straight at Tullis-Joyce.
Baum was booked on 43 minutes for tugging on Awujo as she broke.
Arsenal nearly took the lead on the stroke of half time. Misa’s long ball found Batlle down the middle. She couldn’t control the ball but it came to Baum, who crossed for Blackstenius in the middle, whose header was powered toward goal and tipped over by Tullis-Joyce.
Park shot just over the bar on 58 minutes.
Arsenal made a double change on 58 minutes, as Smila Holmberg and Kim Little replaced Olivia Smith and Mariona. Holmberg went to right wing.
On 63 minutes Arsenal’s corner was cleared but the ball came back to Little. From the right she crossed, and Russo got up but headed wide under pressure from Zigiotti.
Manchester United took the lead on 67 minutes. Catley passed to Stanway, whose pass back to Catley was underhit, and caused Catley to fall over. Zigiotti seized on the loose ball, drove past Catley and slotted through Misa. 0-1.
On 71 minutes Selina Cerci replaced Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord replaced Baum.
From Catley’s corner on 74 minutes Russo’s header was blocked by Sandberg.
Russo’s pass found Holmberg down the side, and her cross was played first time. It came to Foord just behind the penalty spot, and she struck low but Tullis-Joyce got down, parried, and gathered at the second attempt.
Kelly replaced Batlle on 82 minutes.
Holmberg dug out a cross for Cerci, whose header was straight at Tullis-Joyce.
Kelly shot from range at 85 minutes but Tullis-Joyce parried the shot wide. Cerci collected the ball but inexcusably the referee then stopped play because Medina had cramp.
Six minutes were added on.
Foord, in a rare moment of patient Arsenal play, passed smartly to Stanway in the box but her touch was loose, allowing United to clear.
On 95 minutes, Holmberg’s cross came to Cerci, but she couldn’t control it. But the ball was kept alive and came to Williamson on the inside left. She crossed to the far post finding Holmberg, who slammed her finish into the roof of net. 1-1.
Arsenal attacked again, but the referee blew for full time almost exactly at 6 minutes despite Arsenal scoring and United time-wasting on a restart.
For the fourth straight season, Arsenal’s start to the season has essentially taken them out of the title race for the WSL. It ultimately led to fans losing belief in Jonas Eidevall winning the WSL and it’s increasingly hard to see how Renee Slegers can avoid a similar outcome.
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