Tottenham Hotspur have been denied their first-ever North London derby victory over Arsenal with Vivianne Miedema equalising in stoppage time as the pair drew 1-1 at The Hive this afternoon.
The visitors enjoyed much of the attacking play before Rachel Williams struck Spurs into the lead midway through the second half. The Lilywhites looked set for an historic victory until Miedema headed home from a late corner kick.
Arsenal could and maybe should have taken the lead inside the first minute at The Hive but home keeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela was equal to Beth Mead’s effort from a narrow angle.
Miedema saw an effort kept out well by Korpela before Mead saw a free-kick strike the bar and post before the ball came back out and was cleared to safety.
Miedema then dragged an effort wide following some poor distribution from Spurs defender Ashleigh Neville before Katie McCabe looped a shot over Korpela but the ball again bounced off the bar. Kim Little had the last chance of a goalless first half with her shot being gathered by Korpela.
Arsenal had a great chance to break the deadlock seven minutes into the second period but Korpela pulled off a point blank save to deny Mead. Neville then bravely denied Miedema with a last-ditch block before Korpela saved well from a Frida Maanum effort.
It was Spurs who broke the deadlock in the 65th minute when Kit Graham’s shot was saved by Manuala Zinsberger but Williams was there to fire the ball home at the second attempt after her initial shot was saved.
Spurs were full of confidence and they pushed for a second goal. Shelina Zadorsky saw a shot saved and Neville somehow managed to fire the rebound over after being faced with an open goal.
Angela Addison then thumped an effort narrowly wide across goal before Arsenal pulled themselves back into the game in second half injury time when Miedema headed home from a corner kick.
Arsenal move four points clear at the top of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table ahead of Sunday’s games while Spurs are third.
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