IRELAND CAPTAIN KATIE MCCABE was Sky Sports’ Player of the Match this afternoon as she inspired her Arsenal side to a 3-0 win over Everton in the Women’s Super League [WSL].
McCabe scored another stunning goal and provided an assist as the Gunners maintained their 100% record, and went three points clear at the top of the English top-flight.
Last week, the Dubliner scored a stunning 40-yard lob for the Gunners, and today, she bagged her third goal in as many league games for the leaders, threatening and causing Everton serious problems throughout.
In the 31st minute, McCabe fired Arsenal into the lead with an audacious effort from the left; their pressure down that flank and her link-ups with Tobin Heath and Vivianne Miedema paying dividends.
A sweet strike from @Katie_McCabe11!
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) October 10, 2021
Watch the #BarclaysFAWSL on @SkySports 📺pic.twitter.com/XpzChJr0wo
The ball fell to the Kilnamanagh native in space; she took a touch and sent an incredible left-footed strike past Sandy MacIver (Ireland’s US-born ‘keeper Courtney Brosnan was on the Toffees’ bench) to make it 1-0.
Nine minutes later, McCabe added an assist to her name after Lotte Wubben-Moy turned in her corner to make it 2-0 by the break.
Arsenal pressed and probed more and more in the second half, truly dominating proceedings with MacIver shutting them out for the most part. But the English ‘keeper couldn’t stop Frida Maanum’s thunderous 88th-minute effort, which ensured their fifth win from five was achieved in style:
MAJESTIC FROM MAANUM ✨
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) October 10, 2021
Frida Maanum makes it three with a spectacular strike!
Arsenal 3 - 0 Everton
📺 Watch the #BarclaysFAWSL clash live on Sky Sports Premier League pic.twitter.com/Gru6WFaaLA
Elsewhere in the WSL today, Louise Quinn was also on target as she earned Birmingham City a draw against West Ham — and their first point of the season.
Quinn was one of seven Irish internationals involved as the Blues drew 1-1 with West Ham. Goalkeeper Marie Hourihan, captain Quinn, her namesake and new Irish cap Lucy Quinn and defender Harriet Scott all started, along with recent Shelbourne imports Jamie Finn and Emily Whelan.
Another recent signing from the Women’s National League [WNL] in Eleanor Ryan Doyle (from Peamount United) came off the bench, with Quinn’s 67th-minute goal cancelling out Claudia Walker’s opener.
Pure passion!@louise_quinn4 smashes it home 👊
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) October 10, 2021
Watch the #BarclaysFAWSL on the FA Player 📺 pic.twitter.com/lHfFErBT2C
Meanwhile, Megan Connolly’s Brighton and Hove Albion were 2-0 winners over Tottenham Hotspur; the Cork midfielder coming off the bench just before the hour-mark to see her side down the home straight, while being shown a yellow card.
Grace Moloney kept a clean sheet in the Reading goal as the Royals saw off Aston Villa on a 3-0 scoreline. Ruesha Littlejohn is on the books at Villa, though was absent from the matchday squad.
Chelsea beat Leicester City 2-0, with no Irish players involved, and that was also the case yesterday as the Manchester Derby between United and City finished 2-2.
Yesterday in the Championship, Leanne Kiernan scored her third Liverpool goal in two games as the Reds beat Sheffield United 2-0. Captain Niamh Fahey played the full game for Matt Beard’s side.
And Rianna Jarrett’s London City Lionesses enjoyed a 2-1 comeback win over Watford this afternoon, also in the second-tier.
