We advanced to the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup with a 5-1 win at home to Watford on Sunday afternoon thanks to goals from Alessia Russo, Lia Walti, Stina Blackstenius, Amanda Ilestedt and Frida Maanum.
Gunners loanee Michelle Agyemang ensured we went home without a clean sheet when she pulled one back late on for Watford.
It took just six minutes for us to find the opening goal, Beth Mead playing the ball to Victoria Pelova, who drove a strike at Jacqueline Goldsmid from distance. The Watford goalkeeper spilled it and Russo was in the right place at the right time to follow up for 1-0.
Another six minutes later, we doubled our lead as a corner was cleverly left by Pelova - allowing the ball to roll between her legs - for the awaiting Walti, who curled it beautifully into the bottom right corner first time.
Beyond the half-hour mark, Katie McCabe’s corner was headed just over by Ilestedt as we searched for a third, before Watford cleared another corner off the line.
The visitors gave the ball away in their own 18-yard box and it fell for Russo, who fired just wide of the bottom left, before our number 23 had another chance to net her brace.
Vivianne Miedema pulled the ball back for her from the right and she hit it first time but saw her effort strike the crossbar, meaning we went into the half-time break with just a two-goal lead, despite an incredibly dominant display in terms of possession and chance creation.
We began the second half on top, looking to deservedly increase our lead as Beth Mead crossed for Caitlin Foord at the far post, but Goldsmid did well to close the angle and force a corner.
Miedema was next to have a go, cushioning the ball just past the post after a right-wing cross from new signing Emily Fox, who was making her debut for the club.
Miedema went for goal again moments later and the shot rebounded to Mead, who smashed it high and wide of the top right with power. Russo’s next attempt met the same fate, albeit courtesy of a deflection.
Jonas Eidevall made a quadruple substitution in the 64th minute, Miedema, Foord, Russo, and Walti all making way. They were replaced by Maanum, Cloe Lacasse, Blackstenius and Kyra Cooney-Cross respectively.
Blackstenius made an instant impact for our third goal of the afternoon. Pelova played a great ball through which was smartly dummied by Mead, allowing Blackstenius to run in on goal and tuck the ball beyond the onrushing Goldsmid into the bottom left corner.
Goalscorer then almost turned provider as Blackstenius touched the ball delicately into the path of Maanum, but her powerful drive towards goal was pushed behind for a corner. Goldsmid then did well again to deny Lacasse as we relentlessly strived to create a fourth goal.
With 13 minutes remaining, Agyemang provided a consolation for Watford with their first shot of the game, capitalising on a defensive error as we gave the ball away in our own area, allowing Agyemang to tuck it in for 3-1.
Our three-goal lead was restored, however, when a McCabe corner was headed back across goal by Ilestedt for 4-1, before Maanum made it 5-1 when she profited from a Blackstenius cross into the box.
Laia Codina was introduced late on to replace Lotte Wubben-Moy as we saw out a comprehensive cup win.
What's next
We're back in Barclays Women's Super League action at Meadow Park against Everton on Saturday, January 20 for a 2pm kick-off. We're currently third in the division and just three points behind leaders Chelsea, so there's all to play for in the second half of the campaign.
As for the FA Cup, the fifth round draw takes place at around 7.30pm GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live on Monday, January 15. The fifth round will take place on the weekend of February 10 and 11.
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