Report: West Ham 1-5 Arsenal (inc. goals)

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Reid, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona; Mead, Maanum, Foord; Russo
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Borbe, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Smith, Pelova, Hinds, Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross

Arsenal have made it 2 wins from 2 in the WSL, beating West Ham 5-1 at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. West Ham took the lead through a freak own goal, but Frida Maanum leveled the score, and Stina Blackstenius scored the winner off the bench, much like she did in the Champions League final before Arsenal added three more goals in the closing stages.

Renée Slegers made 3 changes. Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord came into the wide positions, with Chloe Kelly not involved with a knock and Olivia Smith dropping to the bench, while Frida Maanum replaced Victoria Pelova. Katie Reid continued at centre half.

West Ham signalled their intent from the beginning with a big long ball to kick off proceedings.

And it was a long ball that gave West Ham the lead on 5 minutes. West Ham won possession back, and Shekiera Martinez overhit a cross that Van Domselaar, at the back post, fumbled onto the post, and the ball bounced back off her and into the net. 1-0.

Arsenal continued to struggle in difficult conditions, with Mariona uncharacteristically coughing the the ball up. On a fast surface, passes were overhit into space–space that West Ham, with a high line, were leaving.

And Arsenal equalised on 21 minutes through exploiting that space. Fox played long to Russo, who held the ball up on the right and found Mead on the edge of the box. Mead played a pass through Tysiak’s legs into Maanum, who got a low shot off, which got beyond Megan Walsh, who was unsighted by her defender. 1-1.

West Ham still hadn’t actually had a shot, but they threatened on 29 minutes. Ueki was found down the left by a long pass, and she took Reid on, and got a cross in, but overhit the cross.

Russo then threatened with a dangerous cutback after good play from Maanum on the left. The rebound came to Mariona who fired well over.

Arsenal did get the ball into good positions towards the end of the half but first Mariona’s ball was too close to Walsh and then Fox wildly overhit a cross.

Foord then sent Maanum away on the counter in first half stoppage time, but Maanum’s dangerous ball into the box was snuffed out by Walsh.

Foord, played into space, then played an excellent ball into the box, but Russo, rather than trying to shoot, tried to lay the ball off for Mead, and West Ham smuggled the ball behind for a corner.

Slegers made a change at halftime, with Stina Blackstenius replacing Frida Maanum.

Arsenal’s first chance of the half came on 50 minutes. After a corner, Mead and Mariona combined, for the former to cross. The cross took a nick but came to Russo, who headed wide from a narrow angle.

Arsenal took the lead on 52 minutes. From a throw-in, Mariona drove with the ball and then passed to Russo, who backheeled for Blackstenius, who took a touch and then fired her left-footed shot past Walsh. 1-2.

Foord then had the ball in the back of the net 3 minutes later, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Blackstenius played the ball off of Siren, and it came to an offside Foord, who fired past Walsh, only to see the flag come up, with Foord contending that it hadn’t actually been a pass. The referee, though, was unmoved.

Mariona was then found by a long ball. She took the ball down in the box and looked for Foord, but Walsh came out to get the ball away.

Arsenal were rampant now. Blackstenius played Foord into space behind the West Ham defence, and she drove to the byline before finding Mead in the centre, but Mead’s shot went wide.

Foord made it 3-1 on 62 minutes. After Foord won a corner, Arsenal went short from the corner. From the edge of the penalty box, Mariona drove her cross, and Foord, from close range, powered her header past Walsh. 1-3.

On 63 minutes, Olivia Smith replaced Beth Mead.

Pieubel was played in over the top but Catley recovered to get ahead and snuff out the chance.

From a corner, Mariona passed to a free McCabe in the box, and she played a dangerous cross into the 6-yard box, but no Arsenal played made contact.

Smith was then found on the edge of the area from another corner, but her shot went over the bar. Foord then went close after a driving run, with her driven left footed shot going just wide of the far post.

On 78 minutes, Victoria Pelova replaced Mariona, and Taylor Hinds replaced Katie McCabe.

On 84 minutes, West Ham appealed for a handball after Pavi’s shot went off of Catley. Pavi then crossed, and Van Domselaar awkwardly put the ball behind for a corner, but Arsenal cleared and then Smith was fouled on the edge of the area.

Catley was then knocked into the advertising boards after clearing the ball, with the defender hitting her knee against the board.

Catley was then subbed off, as Lotte Wubben-Moy came on for her on 88 minutes.

Russo’s screaming shot made it 4-1 on 90 minutes. Reid played into Smith, who drove, and then found Russo on the edge of the box. She took a touch and then fired a shot into the top corner. 1-4.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Smith, driving into the box, won a penalty after she was felled by Bellomou.

Russo stepped up to take the penalty, and fired into the bottom left corner. 1-5.

Blackstenius was then played through on the halfway line, but fired over the top of the bar.

Blackstenius was then found again by a long ball from Hinds, but she took an extra touch and Walsh saved her shot with her knees as the Arsenal fans sang “we are top of the league.”

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