Bold claim: a goal-of-the-season contender from Olivia Smith and a dramatic late winner from Stina Blackstenius delivered a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Barclays Women’s Super League. Here’s how the match unfolded.
FIRST HALF
Frida Maanum tested the keeper early, her shot taking a small deflection before rolling into Faye Kirby’s gloves. Beth Mead’s inswinging free-kick followed, but Kirby stood firm again.
Mead’s corner was headed toward goal by Lotte Wubben-Moy, yet the strike was too central to trouble the Liverpool shot-stopper.
Moments later, Wubben-Moy fed a through ball to Alessia Russo, who outmuscled Gemma Evans and laid it back for Smith. The flicked touch by Mariona Caldentey needed only a touch to beat Kirby, but the goalkeeper recovered to smother at her bottom-right.
Mead’s short corner to Mariona yielded a cross that Wubben-Moy directed onto the far post.
Then came the moment of magic in the 16th minute: Smith danced through Liverpool’s midfield, shrugged off three challenges, and blasted a low shot into the bottom-left corner for 1-0.
With around 30 minutes played, Russo’s cross found its way to the roof of the net as she tried to surprise Kirby.
Defensively, Liverpool struck back as Beata Olsson seized the visitors’ first real chance, finishing past debutant Anneke Borbe to level the score at 1-1.
SECOND HALF
Arsenal started the second half with purpose. Mariona released Russo, who carved out a chance but fired wide.
Hinds’ cross for Russo was met first-time, only for Kirby to parry narrowly to a corner.
Mead’s 56th-minute corner reached Russo at the far post, but her cushioned effort was stopped. A triple substitution followed: Katie McCabe, Caitlin Foord, and Stina Blackstenius came on for Hinds, Maanum, and Mead.
Smith remained the attacking outlet down the right. Her 66th-minute cross found Foord, though Foord couldn’t keep the effort down.
Renée Slegers then introduced Kim Little in place of Kyra Cooney-Cross as the game shifted toward the final phase.
McCabe volleyed over after a favorable rebound from Mariona’s cross, as Arsenal pressed for a second.
Mariona continued pulling the strings and played Blackstenius through, only for the offside flag to deny the late scoring moment.
Blackstenius did have a genuine chance moments later, racing one-on-one with the Liverpool keeper and rounding her, only for Evans to recover and make a crucial block.
Then, in the 87th minute, Blackstenius controlled a lofted pass from Fox, turned triumphantly, and lashed a right-footed shot into the top-right corner to seal a 2-1 lead.
In seven minutes of stoppage time, Smith received a standing ovation as she was replaced by Laia Codina, and Arsenal clung to the victory to claim three vital points.
WHAT’S NEXT
UEFA Women’s Champions League action returns to Meadow Park as Arsenal host FC Twente at 8pm on Tuesday, December 9. Tickets are available now.
Following that, Arsenal prepare for their first-ever Women’s Super League match at Goodison Park, facing Everton at 12pm on Saturday, December 13.
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Quotations from this article are permitted with proper credit to www.arsenal.com as the source.
