LAST UPDATE | 5 Nov 2023
KATIE MCCABE HELPED Arsenal to a crucial 2-1 win over Manchester City as the Women’s Super League [WSL] title race heated up early this afternoon.
The Ireland captain, making her 200th appearance for the club, was involved in Stina Blackstenius’ late winner at Meadow Park as the Gunners inflicted a first league defeat of the season on City.
Swedish international Blackstenius put the Gunners back ahead with an 87th-minute finish, capitalising on a misjudgement by Khiara Keating as the City goalkeeper came out to try to deal with a ball forward from McCabe.
Our @Katie_McCabe11 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/69rhDFWWfv
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 5, 2023
The Gunners had opened the scoring through Steph Catley just before the quarter-hour mark, then seen Keating save a Kim Little penalty – awarded following a foul by the teenage keeper on Cloe Lacasse – soon after, before Chloe Kelly brought things level in the 72nd minute.
The result means Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal join Gareth Taylor’s City on 10 points from five games, three behind leaders Chelsea.
A further point back are Manchester United, who extended their unbeaten start to the campaign in dramatic fashion as substitute Rachel Williams’ leveller deep into stoppage time saw them draw 2-2 at Brighton.
After Elisabeth Terland’s strike on the half-hour for the hosts and Ella Toone’s 78th-minute equaliser, a Guro Bergsvand header with a minute of normal time to go looked set to give Brighton victory, before Williams had the final stay eight minutes into time added on. Ireland international Aoife Mannion again missed out through injury.
There are two other teams with the same amount of points as City and Arsenal, one of which is Tottenham, who were denied a fourth successive victory by Aurora Galli’s late penalty as they were held 1-1 at home by Everton.
Galli converted from the spot with five minutes of normal time to go to cancel out Grace Clinton’s first-half goal for Spurs. Heather Payne won the last-gasp penalty, with Courtney Brosnan in red-hot form between the posts for the Toffees.
Ireland's number one for a reason. 👊 pic.twitter.com/QlJ5I6blAJ
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) November 5, 2023
The other side on 10 points is Liverpool following a 2-1 home win over Leicester.
Marie Hobinger’s 84th-minute goal secured the Reds victory after Melissa Lawley had given them the lead early in the second half and Missy Goodwin equalised just before the hour.
Niamh Fahey and Leanne Kiernan were absent once again as they make their way back from injury.
13 months after a sustaining a horror ACL tear in training, Jess Ziu returned as late substitute in West Ham’s 3-2 defeat to Bristol City. Izzy Atkinson started for the Hammers, who also had Jessie Stapleton and Megan Walsh on the bench, while Megan Connolly captained Bristol. Chloe Mustaki was an unused sub for the Robins.
There were several Irish internationals in action in the Championship, with the results listed below.
In Scotland, Caitlin Hayes came off the bench to help Celtic to a 2-0 win at Dundee, while Abbie Larkin and Ciara Grant started on either side as Glasgow City and Hearts played out a 0-0 draw, with Emily Whelan replacing Larkin down the home straight.
Diane Caldwell helped FC Zurich to a 5-0 win over Rapperswil Jona in Switzerland yesterday, while there’s plenty of Irish interest in the NWSL overnight. Kyra Carusa’s San Diego Wave face OL Reign, and Sinead Farrelly’s Gotham FC go head-to-head with Portland Thorns, for places in the play-off final.
Results
Women’s Super League
- Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
- Tottenham 1-1 Everton
- Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City
- West Ham 2-3 Bristol City
- Brighton 2-2 Hove Albion v Manchester United
- Aston Villa 0-6 Chelsea…played on Saturday
FA Women’s Championship
- Durham 0-1 Sunderland
- Blackburn City 0-3 London City Lionesses
- Birmingham City 2-1 Reading
- Watford 0-3 Crystal Palace
- Southampton 2-1 Sheffield United.
- Additional reporting from Emma Duffy
