LAST UPDATE | 27 Mar 2021
KATIE McCABE scored one and set up another as Arsenal Women recorded a dominant 3-0 win over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Women’s Super League.
The Ireland international put in a superb display as Arsenal recorded their fourth straight league win in style.
Arsenal took the lead through a Caitlin Foord goal, before Vivianne Miedema superbly steered home a McCabe corner to double their lead 10 minutes before half-time.
McCabe then added Arsenal’s third just after the hour mark, intercepting a loose pass before bursting forward and finding the bottom corner.
The win means Arsenal sit three points behind third-placed Manchester United in the Women’s Super League table, with a game in hand, as they chase Champions League qualification.
Assist ✅
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) March 27, 2021
Goal ✅ @Katie_McCabe11 gets on the scoresheet in the #NorthLondonDerby! #NLD • #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/2jb1uXXVD9
Earlier in the day, United celebrated their first match at Old Trafford with a valuable 2-0 victory over West Ham.
It was a historic first as Casey Stoney’s side left their usual home at Leigh Sports Village, taking advantage of the men’s international break.
A first match with fans will have to wait, while Stoney was frustrated that the game was not given a wider TV audience, with rights issues meaning it could only be shown on the Football Association’s streaming platform.
United seemed to be playing the occasion in a nervy first half but made the breakthrough with two goals early in the second half from Lauren James and Christen Press.
Three defeats in their previous four games had hurt United’s Champions League chances and anything but a victory against the league’s bottom side would have been a huge blow.
Both teams took time to get going and it was not until the 25th minute that United finally broke through the West Ham defence but Press could not find Ella Toone.
Ten minutes later came United’s best opening of the half as a fortunate break allowed Press and James to get in behind but excellent defending from Grace Fisk denied James a tap-in.
The striker then headed over from the resulting corner but United could have paid for sloppy play at the back in the closing minutes of the half, with Martha Thomas shooting wide and Kenza Dali seeing a deflected shot saved by Mary Earps.
It took the home side only four minutes to claim the lead after the break as Millie Turner headed the ball back into the six-yard box following a corner and James nodded in.
👏 @laurenjamess22 scores the first ever #BarclaysFAWSL goal at Old Trafford! pic.twitter.com/8qWEaWD7QA
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) March 27, 2021
That settled United’s nerves and six minutes later they had another, Jackie Groenen pressing the West Ham defence before playing a superb pass to Press, who confidently finished beyond Courtney Brosnan.
United were playing with freedom now and United States international Press would have had a second but for a fingertip save from Brosnan.
Down the other end, West Ham forced their best chance when Dagny Brynjarsdottir powered her way through but Earps produced a fine block, and moments later the United keeper pushed a header from the same player round a post.
Press was then denied again by Brosnan and West Ham’s woes deepened in the 77th minute when Laura Vetterlein was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Kirsty Hanson.
Elsewhere, Chloe Kelly’s last-gasp winner earned Manchester City a 1-0 win over Reading to turn up the heat on Chelsea in the title race.
Kelly, who had a penalty saved in City’s 3-0 Women’s Champions League defeat to Barcelona in midweek, struck in the 87th minute to take City a point clear of Chelsea at the top of the table. The Blues can regain top spot on Sunday.
City threatened first when Demi Stokes whipped a low cross that found Lucy Bronze, who squared the ball to Rose Lavelle and her effort was tipped over by Grace Moloney.
The Reading goalkeeper then produced saves from Bronze and Caroline Weir to keep her side on terms.
At the other end Reading forward Amalie Eikeland had a close-range effort that forced Ellie Roebuck to save with her legs.
But, unsurprisingly, almost all of the pressure was coming from City and Georgia Stanway’s low effort flew inches wide of a post.
Moments later a glorious opportunity fell to Lauren Hemp, but her close-range effort hit the woodwork and Reading cleared.
Gareth Taylor’s side kept pressing as substitute Sam Mewis’ diving header went just wide and Weir saw a fine cross palmed away by Moloney.
City finally broke the deadlock three minutes from time as Hemp burst down the left and found Kelly, who tapped home from close range to secure an important win.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Murray Kinsella, Bernard Jackman and Gavan Casey field listeners’ questions about Ireland’s victory over England before turning their attention to the club game, and Super Rugby in the Pacific Islands, prospective law trials up north and, of course, this weekend’s Pro14 final between old rivals.
