Week 17 of the Barclay's Women's Super League saw Aston Villa host Arsenal at Villa Park. We were once again lucky enough to be in amongst the other 10,000 fans in attendance, and the players did not fail to put on a show. Arsenal left victorious, after a 3-1 win.
The last time both teams played at Villa Park was in December 2022, when Arsenal defeated Villa 4-1. The most recent game between the pair was on 6th March 2024, in which Arsenal knocked Aston Villa out of the Continental Cup, with the villains suffering a 4-0 defeat.
Kick-off was once again delayed for 45 minutes, but this time, it was not due to forgetting socks! The Arsenal squad got caught in traffic on the M1 due to a collision, so they were late arriving.
The Villa Players had previously arrived at the stadium, and the Arsenal squad eventually arrived at 6pm. It appeared that the delay to kick-off didn't affect the atmosphere, as when it came to the pre-game light show, everyone was up on their feet dancing, with scarves waving in the air.
Both sides put up a strong fight in the first half, attempting to create a chance to put their team ahead.
A set piece from Arsenal in the 8th minute saw Mead cross to the box, with Aston Villa's Jordan Nobbs reaching it first, deflecting the ball in the direction of Kim Little. Little attempted a low strike towards Leat, but it was deflected, knocking the ball off it's course.
Villa soon pushed back, with Sarah Mayling sending the ball down the right wing towards Adrianna Leon, but she lacked players in the box to pass to. A long pass towards the goal saw the ball roll straight into the hands of Zinsberger.
In the 30th minute of the game, Villa broke the deadlock, as Ebony Salmon struck the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net. A long pass from Jordan Nobbs saw Adrianna Leon in possession of the ball once again, who passed back to Salmon, who was left dangerously unmarked. Salmon's goal fired Villa into the lead, giving them the confidence they needed to finish the first half on a high.
Jonas Eidevall's squad was once again behind at the break.
Arsenal didn't take long before they were able to equalise, as a fumble from Nobbs in the 52nd minute saw the Gunners back in possession of the ball. Russo claimed the ball, aiming for the centre of the net, but Leat was able to deflect the ball. Pelova was on the receiving end of Leat's save, allowing her to send the ball whizzing into the top corner of the net. Leat was left scrambling to gain balance after the deflection, with the speed of Pelova's strike gaining Arsenal the all important equaliser.
The next 20 minutes remained torturous for both teams, with the game looking like it was going to end in a draw. Arsenal edged forward, showing their drive and passion for wanting to win, and it eventually paid off in the 83rd minute. A long pass from midfielder Emily Fox saw the ball drift towards Russo, who flicked the ball into the box. Lotte Wubben-Moy received the ball, heading it in past Leat, who was on the opposite side of the goal. The Gunners had taken the lead.
Arsenal weren't quite finished with their goal spectacle at Villa Park, as Stina Blackstenius pulled off yet another goal. A long pass from Williamson saw the ball fly down the right wing, towards Blackstenius, but was deflected by Turner. Mead regained possession of the ball, frantically passing to Blackstenius. Blackstenius made a run towards the goal, but slipped, due to the light drizzle of rain making the grass wet. She quickly regained balance, shooting from just outside the goal area. Leat's response was sluggish, as Villa players called for a handball against Blackstenius. The officials allowed the goal, giving Arsenal the 3 points they so desperately needed if they wanted to be in with a chance of the title race.
The victory strengthened Eidevall's team's table position, putting them in third, 6 points behind Manchester City and Chelsea - the two teams currently tied on points, with only a mere goal difference separating them.
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