Soccer

Arsenal edge Manchester City in seven-goal thriller to move up to second in WSL

Stina Blackstenius struck the winner with 12 minutes to go.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (second left) celebrates her goal with Arsenal team-mates
Lotte Wubben-Moy (second left) celebrates her goal with Arsenal team-mates (Mike Egerton/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Arsenal moved into the Women’s Super League’s top three at the expense of Manchester City after emerging with a 4-3 victory from a breathless encounter at the Joie Stadium.

The Gunners raced into a 2-0 lead after Mariona Caldentey pounced on a City mistake in the first minute and Lotte Wubben-Moy added a header in the eighth.

City hit back through Mary Fowler’s 20th-minute header, and an Arsenal error then led to their former player Vivianne Miedema equalising five minutes into the second half.

A minute later Frida Maanum put the visitors back in front, and after a controversially awarded Fowler penalty swiftly brought things all square again, Stina Blackstenius then struck what proved the winner with 12 minutes of normal time to go.

It saw Renee Slegers’ side move up from fourth to second in the table, above Manchester United – who play at Tottenham on Sunday evening – on goal difference.

Leaders Chelsea needed an 82nd-minute Sarah Mayling own goal to see off Aston Villa 1-0 at Villa Park.

Sarah Mayling’s late own goal saw Chelsea beat Aston Villa
Sarah Mayling’s late own goal saw Chelsea beat Aston Villa (Nick Potts/PA)

Villa’s Kirsty Hanson crashed an effort off the crossbar and it looked like they would stop the reigning champions from scoring for the first time this campaign.

But, four minutes after England midfielder Keira Walsh was brought on to make her Chelsea debut, Mayling diverted Mayra Ramirez’s cross into the Villa net to gift the Blues a 12th victory in 13 WSL games.

Leanne Kiernan’s first-half goal secured Liverpool a 1-0 win over struggling West Ham.

Kelly Gago struck twice as Everton overpowered Leicester 4-1 at Walton Hall Park.

Katja Snoeijs and Honoka Hayashi were also on target for the Toffees while Shannon O’Brien had scored a first-half equaliser for Leicester, who are just three points off the bottom.

Bottom side Crystal Palace finally made their numerical advantage count as My Cato scored an 88th-minute equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw against rivals Brighton at the Broadfield Stadium.

The Seagulls had been gifted the lead in the first half when Palace goalkeeper Milla-Maj Majasaari let a backpass from Lily Woodham go under her foot and into the net.

Brighton were reduced to 10 players in the 47th minute when Maisie Symonds was sent off for a late challenge on Palace midfielder Aimee Everett, with Cato eventually turning home Woodham’s low cross to earn a point.