We began our 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign with a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in front of 41,818 supporters at Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Frida Maanum fired us ahead early on before Vivianne Miedema pulled one back with half-time approaching.
Jess Park put City in front with a second-half volley but substitute Beth Mead equalised in the 81st minute to share the spoils.
What happened
It was Man City who almost took the lead in the seventh minute, as we gave the ball away to former Gunner Miedema who shot just wide of the bottom right corner from distance.
But we made no mistake at the other end, Caitlin Foord bombing forward down the right and crossing for Maanum to lash it home for 1-0.
Stina Blackstenius almost made it two when she got on the end of a long ball over the top from Katie McCabe and took it around Ayaka Yamashita, but our forward knocked the shot wide.
Lauren Hemp tried her luck as City looked for a way back into the game with a long-range strike that Manuela Zinsberger was equal to, before Hemp’s cross from the left reached Aoba Fujino in a dangerous area. Thankfully, McCabe was on hand to track back and stop the attack.
Blackstenius headed wide from a Kyra Cooney-Cross delivery and Maanum fired over the bar when she had time and space to shoot as we hunted for a second.
It nearly came in style as Lotte Wubben-Moy found WSL debutant Mariona Caldentey, who had made a great run into the box before hooking the ball over the bar.
City equalised in the 42nd minute as Miedema found a way through and had a shot deflected into the back of the net by Laia Codina.
We had a great chance to restore our lead when Blackstenius darted through on goal on the brink of half-time, but Yamashita closed her down and saved with her right leg.
The ball was in the back of the City net straight away at the beginning of the second half when Maanum crossed for Foord to touch it across the line, but the flag was raised for offside.
But it was City who took the lead in the second half when a Hemp cross was cleared only as far as Park who, from the edge of the 18-yard box, volleyed the ball in off the crossbar.
Miedema took the ball down and had a similar effort moments later but shot straight at Zinsberger.
We responded with two changes from the bench, Alessia Russo and Mead coming on for Blackstenius and Foord.
ZInsberger again denied Miedema and saved a close-range effort from Khadija Shaw as City pushed for a third before Maanum and Cooney-Cross made way for Rosa Kafaji and Lia Walti.
Russo could have equalised when she was sent through on goal with 15 minutes remaining, but the shot was too central to trouble Yamashita. Her next effort had more power on it but met the same result.
But, with nine minutes remaining, the pressure paid off. McCabe produced a clever bit of trickery, flicking the ball over the top of Chloe Kelly and Kim Little who were both on the deck, before playing it forward to Kafaji.
Her strike cannoned back off the inside of the post and fell kindly for Mead to nestle into the back of the net for 2-2.
Kafaji went for goal again from the edge of the area but this time the strike flew high and wide. Our new recruit then cut inside and curled wide of the top right in the second minute of seven added on.
Codina made a vital challenge on Shaw in the dying embers and Zinsberger caught an effort from Laia Aleixandri to prevent City from finding a late winner as the points were shared on the opening day.
What's next
We're back at Mangata Pay UK Stadium in Borehamwood at 7.30pm on Thursday for the second leg of our UEFA Women's Champions League second round qualifying clash with BK Hacken. It's a must-win tie following our 1-0 defeat in the first leg. We will then be back in WSL action against Leicester City at King Power Stadium at 3pm on Sunday.
Line-ups
Arsenal: Zinsberger, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe, Cooney-Cross (Walti 73), Little, Maanum (Kafaji 73), Foord (Mead 63), Blackstenius (Russo 63), Caldentey.
Subs: van Domselaar, Walti, Kuhl, Wienroither, Godfrey, Reid.
Man City: Yamashita, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Miedema (Fowler 74), Hemp, Ouahabi (Kennedy 40), Park, Casparij, Fujino (Kelly 74), Shaw, Hasegawa.
Subs: Keating, Layzell, Coombs, Blindkilde Brown, Prior, Murphy.
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