We slipped to a disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League on Sunday.
Alessia Russo scored what she thought was the winner after pushing forward late on, but Everton’s threat from set-pieces paid off deep into stoppage time as Isabella Hobson headed home from a corner.
What happened
Stina Blackstenius looked the most threatening in the opening exchanges as we looked to find a way past Everton’s organised back five.
Our Sweden international continued to make dangerous runs between the central defenders and came close to an opener when her driven effort was saved at the near post.
At the other end of the pitch Justine Vanhaevermaet climbed high from a corner to rattle the crossbar with a powerful header, but that concluded the action from a quiet first half where both teams cancelled each other out.
Following the restart we carved out two promising chances. First Steph Catley’s looping header was claimed by Courtney Brosnan, before Victoria Pelova failed to adjust her feet and fired wide from Katie McCabe’s cutback
We remained patient with our attacking play and eventually got out reward through Russo, who was in the right place at the right time to convert from inside the six-yard area after Mead’s initial effort was saved.
That should have been our game-winning moment, but Everton kept applying pressure through set pieces and with just a couple minutes remaining of added time, Hobson climbed high to meet a corner delivery and looped the ball into the back of the net.
What it means
We remain third in the WSL table on 44 points with two games still to play.
Chelsea are in second place, two points above us, with four games remaining. Manchester City are top on 49 points with three games to go.
Team news
Arsenal XI: Zinsberger, Fox, Williamson (Codina 46), Catley, McCabe, Pelova (Cooney-Cross 74), Little (c), Russo, Mead, Blackstenius (Maanum 65), Foord (Lacasse 65)
Subs not used: Williams, Goldie, Reid, Wienroither, Miedema
Everton: Brosnan, Hope, Stenevik, Finnigan, Vanhaevermaet, Holmgaard (Dale 65), Piemonte (Hobson 81), Wheeler, Holmgaard, Bissell (Settle 90+9), Snoeijs
Subs not used: Hart, Wilding
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