Arsenal cruised to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Reading in a Barclays Women’s Super League fixture at the LV Bet Stadium this evening.
With Manchester City having collected three points against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon, the pressure was on Arsenal to do the same. The Gunners eased to a four-goal success against struggling Reading to keep their hopes of qualifying for next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League in sight.
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall opted to play the likes of Noelle Maritz, Frida Maanum and Leah Williamson out of their favoured positions to accommodate for the absence of Steph Catley and benched forward Stina Blackstenius while Reading boss Kelly Chambers named an unchanged XI.
The first five minutes went firmly in Arsenal’s favour and their monopolisation of the game was proving tough for Reading to contain. Katie McCabe was clumsily brought down in the box, earning her side a penalty which Kim Little calmly dispatched to give the North Londoners an early lead. Little missed a penalty in the reverse fixture, but the skipper didn’t make the same mistake again.
Following a brief spell of possession for Reading, visiting keeper Grace Moloney was forced into making several crucial saves to deny Arsenal a second goal. Maanum and Rafaelle Souza went closest to scoring but they failed to take full advantage.
Frustrations grew for Reading as opponents Arsenal piled on the pressure. It was one-way traffic with The Gunners having 11 shots on goal to Reading’s nil in the first half-hour.
January transfer window signing, Easther Mayi Kith worked hard in the Reading defence with her efforts helping to deny the home side a second goal but The Royals still looked very vulnerable at the back. In the 44th minute, Caitlin Foord picked out Maanum in the box and she sent the ball past Moloney to hand The Gunners a very comfortable 2-0 lead going into half-time.
Things went from bad to worse for Reading in the opening minute of the second half as an own goal from former Arsenal player Emma Mukandi increased the hosts’ lead to three.
Maanum could have claimed a fourth goal for Arsenal when another effort hit the back of the net, but the offside flag was quickly raised, denying her a brace. A lovely through ball from Williamson then found the run of substitute Stina Blackstenius who forced a vital block from Moloney.
Williamson had a very impressive game in midfield and consistently found herself in the right place, at the right time. Some sloppy play from Moloney 20 minutes from time saw the ball fall at the feet of the England international and she tapped home, taking Arsenal’s lead to four.
Reading had their first real attempt of the game soon after the fourth goal with Lily Woodham forcing a save from Arsenal keeper Manuela Zinsberger, who had barely seen the ball all evening. At the other end, Blackstenius sent a shot just wide of the far post as the game ended 4-0.
Arsenal now have a nine-day wait for their next fixture against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Women’s Champions League’s last-eight while Reading face Chelsea in a Vitality Women’s FA Cup quarter-final tie next weekend.
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