Arsenal have made a winning start to the new Barclays Women’s Super League season by beating Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 at the LV Bet Stadium.
Following the postponement of games last weekend, both Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion finally kicked-off their respective campaigns at a sold-out Meadow Park this evening. Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners simply had too much for a Brighton & Hove Albion side who lost Emma Kullberg to a red card very early in the contest.
There was a minute of applause before kick-off to remember life-long Arsenal supporter Maria Petri, with fans on their feet in the stadium that she loved so much; her empty seat donned with a shirt in her memory.
Brighton & Hove Albion were up against it from kick-off but their evening couldn’t have got off to a worse start. With just seven minutes played, Kullberg tripped Stina Blackstenius when she was through on goal and the Swede was shown a red card by referee Lisa Benn. The uphill challenge immediately got much steeper for the visitors.
Dominating the opening period, there was chance after chance for Arsenal but they couldn’t find a way through. With 26 minutes played, Brighton & Hove Albion were able to break with their first real attacking chance of the game. Elisabeth Terland was through on goal but her shot went inches wide of the post.
Less than a minute later, Arsenal found their way through. A moment that had been coming for all of the first half, it was skipper Kim Little who fired her team into the lead. Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, her strike sailed past the diving Megan Walsh and into the back of the net.
The chances kept coming for Arsenal and Blackstenius hit the bar before a diving save from Walsh denied Lia Wälti just before the break. Despite their best efforts and the occasional burst of attacking presence from Brighton & Hove Albion, The Gunners held just a one-goal lead going into half-time.
Arsenal got off to a perfect start in the second half, adding their second goal after just five minutes. After all of her chances in the first half, it was Blackstenius who finally got her goal. A powerful strike past the keeper was met with a roar from the crowd. After a long wait, you could tell that they were very happy to be back.
Running riot and making it look easy, Arsenal extended their lead to three. There was a Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead link-up as the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Golden Boot winner got her domestic scoring tally off the mark. The scoreline was harsh on visiting keeper Walsh who had been a rock in the Brighton & Hove Albion goal for the first hour of play.
Arsenal should have soon had a fourth goal but they were frustrated by the offside flag. Miedema raced into the box but wasn’t rewarded for her efforts.
The Gunners’ fourth goal did arrive before full-time when Mead got her second of the night. After some fantastic footwork in the box, she was able to tuck the ball into the back of the net from close range.
Arsenal claim the opening day honour of topping of the table while a defeated Brighton & Hove Albion side will have a lot to think about after showing a glimmer of what they can do this evening.
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