We were beaten 5-2 by Aston Villa in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Wednesday, former Gunner Jordan Nobbs opening the scoring at Villa Park before Kirsty Hanson smashed in their second on the brink of half-time.
Chasity Grant gave us an even bigger mountain to climb with a goal right at the start of the second half, and Rachel Daly made it four with just over half an hour remaining.
Stina Blackstenius pulled one back in the 67th minute, and Alessia Russo got another moments later, before Grant completed her brace.
what happened
The first chance of the game fell to Lotte Wubben-Moy, who hooked a volley over the bar from Katie McCabe’s corner.
At the other end, a Nobbs free-kick came out to Maz Pacheco, who fired it onto the roof of the net from distance.
Kyra Cooney-Cross tried her luck from distance after Sabrina D'Angelo gave the ball away, but the shot was high and wide, and a Nobbs corner was then headed wide of the top by right by Daly.
Returning to the starting line-up for the first time since recovering from injury, Victoria Pelova made a good run into the 18-yard box in the 27th minute and was picked out by McCabe, but D’Angelo raced off her line to close the angle and block Pelova’s cross.
Our former goalkeeper then made a big double save to deny us from another McCabe corner, before Ebony Salmon raced through on goal on the counter-attack, crossing for Nobbs to slot past Manuela Zinsberger for 1-0.
Hanson shot just over the bar as Villa looked to double their lead, while Pelova cut inside onto her left foot and drilled an effort just wide of the bottom right in our effort to respond.
Matters were made worse for us when, on the brink of half-time, Hanson powerfully struck the ball into the back of our net for 2-0. After Salmon raced through and shot over the bar, we went into the break two behind.
We made a triple change at half-time, Kim Little, Leah Williamson and Russo coming on for Pelova, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
The second half got off to a disastrous start for us though, as Grant won the ball from McCabe straight away and tucked it beyond Zinsberger for 3-0.
Williamson got a good connection on a Kelly corner but D’Angelo got down to her right to save, before Little’s shot was deflected wide from distance and Mariona Caldentey fired straight at the Villa keeper on the half-volley.
In the 58th minute, Villa showed their ruthlessness again, Daly knocking the ball into the bottom right corner before Williamson struck just wide at the other end.
Chloe Kelly then made way for Caitlin Foord with 28 minutes to go, before a ball over the top was nestled into the bottom left by Blackstenius to give us a small glimmer of hope.
That became a bit bigger in the 71st minute, when a Katie Reid cross was attacked by Russo, who headed into the bottom right corner for 4-2.
But we were quickly pegged back to a three-goal deficit, Grant racing through on goal and making no mistake for her second and Villa’s fifth. Frida Maanum became our next substitute, replacing McCabe, but we were ultimately unable to reduce the arrears further.
what it means
We remain second in the WSL ahead of Manchester United v Chelsea, which kicks off at 8.15pm. The Blues can now win the league with a draw or win in that match.
WHAT’S NEXT
We’re off to Crawley on Bank Holiday Monday to face Brighton & Hove Albion in a 4pm kick-off in the WSL. Our final home game of the season then takes place against Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, May 10 at 12.30pm.
line-ups
Aston Villa: D’Angelo, Grant, Turner, Maritz, Pacheco (Maltby 68), Nobbs, Talylor, Kearns (Baijings 68), Hanson (Mayling 80), Salmon (Robinson 68), Daly (C) (Corsie 88)
Substitutes (not used): Talbert, Sallaway, Sorrentino, Baijings
Arsenal: Zinsberger, Wubben-Moy (Williamson 46), Catley, Mariona, Mead, McCabe (C) (Maanum 81), Kelly (Foord 62), Pelova (Little 46), Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross (Russo 46), Reid
Substitutes (not used): Williams, Fox, Walti, Ilestedt
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