Match report: Aston Villa 0-4 Arsenal Women

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WHAT HAPPENED

Our perfect start to the Women’s Super League season continued on Saturday as we made it four wins from four with a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.

It was also a special day for Kim Little, who scored her 150th and 151st goals for the club.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing at Villa Park. The hosts maintained their defensive shape impressively throughout the opening 45 minutes, sitting deep in their own half and allowing us little space to operate and combine between the lines.

Vivianne Miedema came close converting a stunning delivery from Beth Mead, but that was the only real highlight from an otherwise frustrating first-half performance.

Recognising our lack of creativity and fluidity in the final third, Jonas Eidevall opted for a change at the break with the silky Mana Iwabuchi replacing Frida Maanum - and it made an almost instant impact to our attacking play.

Following a number of probing passes and fast switches of play, Lotte Wubben-Moy punched the ball into the feet of Kim Little, and our captain pulled away from her marker inside the marker, before finishing coolly into the bottom corner.

A special goal for our captain, who reached the 150 goal landmark after just 234 appearances. Only Jayne Ludlow (211) has scored more goals for the club.

Our super sub Iwabuchi continued to dominate play in the midfield and with less than 10 minutes remaining, doubled our advantage with a cheeky instinctive finish.

Tobin Heath skipped past her marker on the left wing with some fine footwork and picked out Iwabuchi with a cutback, who duly converted against her former club using the outside of her right foot.

Two fine goals from Jonas Eidevall’s side, but the best was still to come, as Katie McCabe spotted the keeper off her line and produced an outrageous lobbed finish from more than 40 yards out.

Little then went on to make it four deep into stoppage time, firing a deflected finish over the keeper from the edge of the penalty area.