Match report: Arsenal Women 3-0 Birmingham

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WHAT HAPPENED

We marked an historic occasion at Meadow Park on Sunday with a dominant 3-0 victory over Birmingham City.

It’s been more than nine months since we last welcomed supporters through the turnstiles, and while we operated at a reduced capacity, it was a special day for all involved.

Heading into this fixture on the back of a defeat against Manchester United and a hard-fought draw with Chelsea, we looked hungry for goals from the first whistle, pressing from the front and remaining patient in our build-up play.

The first chance of the afternoon fell to Jill Roord after just one minute, when she thumped a powerful first-time effort just over the bar.

Vivianne Miedema then went on to fire two promising chances wide of the target, before Beth Mead - making her 100th Arsenal appearance - charged into the area and drew a foul from Mollie Green.

When Kim Little is standing over a penalty, there’s usually only one outcome - but this time she was denied by an outstanding save from Hannah Hampton.

Shortly after, Miedema was played through down the left and sold her marker with a fake shot, before cutting inside and firing wide when the ball looked destined for the top corner.

Despite the frustration of missing so many chances, though, we kept our composure and grabbed our reward after the break.

With an instinctive first-time cross, Katie McCabe picked out Caitlin Foord at the far post and the Australia international headed home for her seventh of the season across all competitions.

By this stage, we were oozing confidence and following a slick one-touch passing move, Roord fired a stunning effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.

The good news kept coming too, with Jordan Nobbs and Steph Catley returning from injury off the bench to pick up some valuable minutes.

Little then went on to make it three with just minutes of the 90 remaining, converting from the spot to make up for her previous miss and cap off a wonderful performance.