Our women’s first team won 1-0 against A League All Stars Women in a post-season friendly at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Friday, Alessia Russo heading in the only goal of the game from a Vivienne Lia cross late in the first half.
We were on top for much of the opening period and came closest to scoring when Victoria Pelova won the ball in a dangerous area by pressing Tameka Yallop, before Alessia Russo struck it wide. It wouldn’t have counted though as the referee blew for a foul.
The All Stars had their first sight of goal in the 28th minute as Elise Kellond-Knight’s corner came out to Yallop, who fired over the bar.
Cortnee Vine then drifted in from the right and shot straight at Sarah Bouhaddi with an effort that was too soft to trouble our goalkeeper.
Academy graduate Lia was looking lively throughout the first half and, with half-time approaching, she provided a sumptuous delivery from the right wing for Russo to nod into the bottom right corner.
Former Gunners goalkeeper Lydia Williams was replaced by former Gunners manager Joe Montemurro just before the break to a standing ovation all around Marvel Stadium, with Jada Whyman coming on in her place.
We made four changes at half-time with Emily Fox, Teyah Goldie, Frida Maanum and Cloe Lacasse coming on for Steph Catley, Pelova, Lia and Russo.
Caitlin Foord had our first opportunity of the second half but went for the near post from a narrow angle and the goalkeeper was equal to it.
With half an hour to go, we also replaced our goalkeeper as Bouhaddi made way for Naomi Williams.
Foord worked her way into the penalty are again and saw her next attempt blocked wide for a corner but the All Stars managed to clear the danger.
At the other end, Rhianna Pollicina had a go for goal but Williams got down to her left to make the catch.
Youngster Laila Harbert came on for Kyra-Cooney Cross in the 77th minute as we continued to look for a second goal.
Foord tried her luck from distance with ten minutes left on the clock but Whyman leapt over to her left with a save for the cameras. Kathrine Kuhl was next to have a go, getting on the end of a lay-off from Maanum, but the shot was too central.
We finished using up all of our substitutions in the 83rd minute as Freya Godfrey and Madison Earl came on for Kuhl and Foord.
All Stars could have equalised in the 89th minute when Hannah Wilkinson went through one-on-one with Williams, but our goalkeeper stretched out to her right to make a big save.
That ensured that we held onto our one-goal lead to end the season on a high.
Arsenal XI: Bouhaddi (Williams 61), Catley (Fox 46), Little (C), McCabe, Foord (Earl 83), Pelova (Goldie 46), Kuhl (Godfrey 83), Russo (Maanum 46), Cooney-Cross (Harbert 77), Lia (Lacasse 46), Reid.
A League Women XI: Williams (Whyman 45), Cerne (Matos 46), Stott (C), Morrison, Foster, Kellond-Knight (Maher 69), Chidiac (Hawkesby 69), Yallop (Pollicina 46), Vine (Ibini 79), Heyman (Wilkinson 79), Simon (Harding 55).
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
